Survivors of police brutality in western Kenya and Nyanza regions are pushing for justice through the Kenya Champions for Justice, an association that brings together victims who had given up seeking justice.

This comes as International Justice Mission (IJM) is tracking over 100 cases of police brutality that are pending before the courts across the country.

Chair of Kenya Champions for Justice, who is also a survivor of police abuse, Joyce Omina Omolo said the majority of victims of police brutality fail to seek justice for fear that justice will not be served.

Speaking during a community engagement forum known as Chapa Gumzo na Prosecutor organised by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) at Salvation Army church in Kakamega town on Friday, Omolo said the Kenya Champions for Justice was formed to enable victims who had given up seeking justice to go through the justice system until they are served and compensated.

She asked the National Police Service (NPS), Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Office of Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP), to ensure survivors of police brutality get justice.

“I never saw the need and interest to report when I was abused by police officers. I felt it would reach nowhere and would not get justice and therefore I decided to keep quiet and keep the pain and the trauma to myself, but I came to realise it wasn’t me alone, there were other survivors who were keeping quiet, but by coming together, we have realized that power belongs to the people and it is us to air out our voices to get justice,” she explained.

Country Director of International Justice Mission (IJM) Vincent Chahale urged the criminal justice system to ensure that police officers who abuse their powers are prosecuted, convicted and sentenced. He also urged for fast-tracking of police brutality cases and ensuring that the survivors get justice and are compensated.

“We must have action here, meaning taking those police officers who abuse their powers to court for prosecution, conviction and sentence, that is the only way to end police abuse of power,” Chahale explained.

He noted that IJM partners with IPOA to ensure fast-tracking investigations into police brutality cases and forward them to the ODPP to proceed with prosecution.

“We intervene by providing legal representation to victims of police abuse, if those victims are deceased we provide that representation to their families. We also give them psychosocial support so that they can be able to go through the process,” he added.

“As we engage in individual cases, we also partner with public institutions to strengthen the justice system because we believe that the justice system should be efficient and should be able to tackle those cases very fast so that victims can get recompense for what they went through,” he noted.

Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Renson Ingonga urged survivors of any incidents including cases of police brutality to always report such cases to the right institutions to ensure they get justice.

Ingonga noted that cases of police brutality should not be reported to police stations but to IPOA. He also urged the survivors to always report immediately they are assaulted and be ready to testify in court for justice to be served.

The DPP decried that some cases take too long because survivors delay to report them, which gives time for the perpetrator to tamper with and destroy evidence which is normally crucial in prosecuting a case.

He said the criminal justice system will always enhance access to justice by ensuring that those who want to testify and fear for their lives are protected without anybody knowing that they testified.

“But if you fail to testify then the court lacks sufficient evidence and the person is freed, it will encourage other perpetrators to do such criminal activities. So you need to understand that even if it is not you who is a victim, the testimony you give in court helps all of us, because it will be a lesson to others, so we must always avail ourselves to ensure we testify in court,” he added.

“Some people don’t even know that IPOA exists and the work of IPOA is to investigate the complaints of residents against the police. So, if you have any challenge with the police, go to IPOA. Don’t go to a police station, if you have a case which has been in court and is criminal go to ODPP,” he said.

• A Tell Media / KNA by Moses Wekesa