Curfew: Police attack and injure two in Mumias

Two people are hospitalised in Mumias with serious injuries after they were allegedly assaulted by police officers who were enforcing the ongoing dusk-to-dawn curfew aimed at controlling spread of coronavirus.

Mr Zachariah Maende, 33 and Ms Grace Muhatia, 24 were attacked on Thursday evening and Friday morning respectively.

ATTACKED

The two are admitted to St Mary’s Mission Hospital in Mumias. Mr Maende, who is deaf and dumb, sustained head, back and neck injuries after he was attacked by the officers a few meters from his home at Shianda village in Mumias East on Thursday evening.

He had closed the gate of a construction site where he is the foreman and was rushing to his house when he met the officers.

“I heard about the attack and rushed to his rescue because I knew he couldn’t express himself. I found him bleeding profusely and writhing in pain,” said Mr Kennedy Echesa a lawyer who is also the victim’s neighbour.  

Mr Echesa said he called Shianda OCS Christopher Wesonga and rushed the victim to hospital.

DEEP CUT  

Ms Florence Siva, a nurse at St Mary’s hospital, said the patient had a deep cut on his head.

“He had a deep cut on the left side of his head, he also complained of back and neck and pains. The cut was stitched and we have carried out an x-ray to determine any other head injuries. He is, however, out of danger,” said Ms Siva.

And on Friday, while selling Airtel simcards Mumias town, Ms Muhatia was shot in the abdomen. The bullet is said to have fractured three of her fingers.  The officers were dispersing traders who had converged at the market in Mumias town.

Her mother Florence Makale said her daughter left home on Friday morning to repair her phone before she started selling simcards.

 “While at my place of work at Butere, she called to inform me that she had been shot by a police officer in Mumias. I rushed to Mumias and found her in hospital in the company of police officers,” said Ms Makale.

GUNSHOT WOUNDS

She claimed the officers apologised and asked her not to expose them. 

Speaking to Nation from her hospital bed, Ms Muhatia said she realised that she had been shot after seeing blood oozing from her abdomen.

 “Blood started oozing from my abdomen and hand. That is when I realised that I had been hit by a bullet. I was rushed to hospital by good Samaritans,” she said.

Ms Imelda Poyi, the nurse-in-charge at Monica Ward said the patient had two gunshot wounds.  

 “The bullet pierced through her abdomen and fractured her fingers. We are waiting for a surgeon to correct them, she is out of danger,” said Ms Poyi.

Ms Muhatia’s mother wants the government to pay her daughter’s hospital bill. She also wants justice for her daughter.