IG DOUGLAS KANJA in shock as High Court finds former IG JAPHET KOOME personally liable for clobbering protestors

Thursday, January 9, 2025 – Reality has dawned on former Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome. 

This is after the High Court found him personally liable for harming KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atelah during demonstrations.

The court ruled that Koome should be held personally responsible for certain orders that he issued while serving as Kenya's police boss.

Justice Ngaah Jairus of Nairobi Court ruled that Koome errored in his directives to police on how to deal with protestors during his reign and that he should be held responsible.

This is after human rights groups moved to court to file a petition to subject Koome over unlawful conduct where he ordered police officers in April last year to deal with striking doctors 'firmly and decisively.'

In his ruling, Justice Ngaah emphasised that the Constitution unequivocally vests all command and responsibility powers in the Inspector General (IG) as an individual, making them directly accountable for any orders they issue.

The High Court ruling implies that, unless challenged, any individual will now have the right to sue the Inspector General of Police for any form of brutality resulting from orders issued to junior officers by the IG.

The ruling also comes at a time when the current IG Douglas Kanja is having court cases against his office on abductions, a case where he is likely to be charged with contempt of court and similar charges that his predecessor is facing.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.