Ian Njoroge, the teenager who attacked a police officer, claims he was tortured

A motorist who made headlines for allegedly assaulting a traffic police officer on Sunday along Kamiti Road in Mirema is now accusing the police of assaulting and mistreating him during his arrest.

Ian Njoroge, 19, who appeared before Milimani Principal Magistrate Benmark Ekhubi to face criminal charges of causing grievous bodily harm, robbery with violence and resisting arrest, informed the court that the police officers who arrested him at his home and treated him inhumanely by attacking him, insulting him and beating him.

Through his lawyers Duncan Okatch and Vincent Lempaa, Njoroge also played a short video in court in which he said he showed traffic officer Corporal Jacob Ogendo manhandling him in his car and injuring himself.

“What the complainant did to him in that car, I can say he was manhandled by the complainant,” Okatch told the court.

His lawyers added that at the police station where Njoroge was detained, he was beaten by police officers and the clothes he wore were stained with blood.

“The accused is a first-year student at a public university and he has a future that he is pursuing. He has parents and was arrested at his parents' home. At the police station, he was beaten and the clothes he worn were stained with blood,” Okatch told the court

The defense lawyers added that: “the police shamelessly took pictures of him and also confiscated his mobile phones and his student card.”

The lawyers urged the court to order that the accused be escorted to hospital as he needed urgent medical attention following the beating he suffered at the hands of police officers while in the cells of the Kasarani police.

Additionally, lawyers accused the police of wasting taxpayers' money by escorting Njoroge to court under the close surveillance of more than 20 police officers. For his part, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) did not oppose the request to accompany Njoroge to the hospital for treatment, arguing that the video broadcast in court by the defense team is a clear proof of ill-treatment since the police insulted him. .

The prosecution, however, informed the court that it sought to oppose the release of the accused on bail and urged the court to keep him in custody for three days to enable the investigating officer to file a official affidavit.

“The investigator assigned the case on Monday and had little time to make his statements, obtain expert reports and present the case to our office. He did not have time to file an affidavit and we object to his release on bail and seek three days to allow the police to file the affidavit,” the court was told.

In his decision, Ekhubi ordered that Njoroge be detained at the Industrial Area Prison until tomorrow (Wednesday) after the DPP requested to detain him for three days to allow the investigating officer to file a formal application if opposing his release on bail.

The magistrate also ordered that Njoroge be escorted to Kenyatta National Hospital for treatment and be accompanied by a relative.

“Following the arguments presented by both parties, I order that Njoroge be taken to Kenyatta National Hospital for treatment and remanded to Industrial Area Prison. The matter will be mentioned on Wednesday, June 5, when the prosecution files a formal application seeking treatment to deny him bail,” Magistrate Ekhubi ruled.

In this case, Njoroge denied violently robbing Corporal Jacob Ogendo, on June 2, 2024, jointly with others not before the court, of a police communication gadget and a mobile phone worth 50,000 shillings.

The prosecution immediately stated that he had committed the robbery and had injured the police officer.

He faces a second charge that, on the same dates and at the same location, he unlawfully beat the police officer and inflicted serious injury on him.

The court also heard that Njoroge resisted arrest by the said officer Ogendo who at the time of resistance was acting in the execution of his duty.

Minutes after being charged with these criminal offences, Njoroge was hauled before another court where he faced three charges relating to traffic offences.

Appearing before Milimani Principal Magistrate Martha Nanzushi, the accused denied allegedly disobeying verbal directions given by a uniformed police officer.

The court heard that on June 2, 2024, at around 8 a.m. along Kamiti road, Mirema junction in Nairobi County, Njoroge, the driver of the Nissan vehicle, failed to obey verbal directions to him. been advised by the traffic officer (Ogendo).

According to the indictment, Njoroge was asked to drive the vehicle to the Kasarani police station and, once he arrived at Quickmatt, he refused by pushing the gear lever from drive to park when the officer traffic officer in full police uniform ordered him.

In the second charge, Njoroge was accused of having, on the same day and at the same place, the driver of the said motor vehicle registration number KDJ 207P, allowed the said vehicle to remain on the road, which was likely to obstruct or causing inconvenience to other road users by making a U-turn.

“You carried five passengers instead of four in the vehicle, which constitutes a traffic offense of carrying an additional passenger, which constitutes excess,” states the third charge against Njoroge.

Nanzushi released him on Sh100,000 bail or Sh60,000 cash bail.