Police officers in Eldoret town have been accused of failing to act on a report filed by a North Rift Muslim Youth leader over threats to his life.
The youth leader, Jamal Diriwo Omari, says despite over three reports that he has filed at various police stations in Eldoret, no action has been taken against the culprits – about two years later.
In a media briefing in Eldoret town on November 30, 2022, Omari noted that the threats from individuals who he claims are well known to the police officers have had a negative impact on his personal life and business.
The Muslim youth leader is also a registered herbal doctor.
But when he first faced threats to his life in January 2021, he has since been forced to shut down his herbal medicine business.
“I am living in my own country as a refugee. I’m a doctor but because of these threats, my business has been closed down. I had medicine worth over Ksh800,000, all of which have now expired,” Omari emotionally told the police.
“This matter has affected the way I live. I cannot freely walk around,” he added.
The Muslim youth leader notes that the threats are a result of an ongoing case before the court in which he is seeking information in regard to parcels of land belonging to the Eldoret Muslim Association that are believed to be running into billions of shillings.
Internal Affairs Unit
He now claims top officials of the association whom he accuses of being behind the threats to his life have influenced some detectives at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to ignore his matter.
“All those cases I have reported to the police and I have OB numbers, but to date, none has ever been arrested or questioned. I was first threatened in 2019, then 2021 and most recently May 2022,” said the North Rift Muslim youth leader.
Failure by the police to take up his matters forced him to write to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) which later escalated the matter to the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU).
He claims the Internal Unit has already directed that the matter be hastened by the DCI officers in Eldoret but is still reluctant to act on his case.
He is now demanding that he is accorded the justice that he deserves as per the constitution.
“If the police do not want to help citizens, where will we run to get justice? Today, if I go to the police they keep claiming I am mad, but even mad people have a right to get justice,” Omari insisted.
Investigations
When reached for comment, Uasin Gishu County Criminal Investigations Officer (CCIO) Peter Kimulwo said they have asked the Muslim youth leader to furnish them with details regarding threats over his life by the said individuals.
This the CCIO says, will enable them to commence investigations that would lead to arrests.
“We cannot act on hearsay, and that is why we are asking him to follow the laid down procedure by first recording his statement at the central police station,” advised Kimulwo.
Omari however insists the police already have numerous reports from him that they need to act upon. He has also written a letter to the CCI asking that his matter be handled with the urgency it deserves.
