IPOA takes action after police clobbered Multimedia University student

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched an investigation into an incident where police were recorded clobbering a Multimedia University student on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.

Police had been deployed at Multimedia University after chaos erupted as a result of the students' strike.

It was while restoring law and order that the police clobbered one of the students next to a teargas canister that had been detonated.

The incident drew widespread condemnation from Kenyans with most of them taking to social media to protest over it.

Reports indicate that the police’s use of teargas to tame the protests resulted in an explosion and subsequent fire at a girls’ hostel.

The fire, which caused significant alarm, was fortunately extinguished by the swift actions of university staff. 

Nobody was injured as a result of the fire incident, the university said.

Reacting to the incident, Ipoa in a statement said a Rapid Response Team has been dispatched to the university.

Among other instructions, the team will "establish the veracity of a video clip widely shared on social media, depicting a youth being assaulted by police officers".

“The Authority has established the identity of one student who sustained a fracture in his foot,” IPOA said.

IPOA said their investigation will delve into the police’s handling of teargas, which the Authority said was deployed recklessly.

“IPOA reiterates that members of the National Police Service (NPS) should discharge their mandate professionally and responsibly in accordance with Article 244 of the Constitution,” they said.

“Upon conclusion of the investigation, IPOA will recommend action, including but not limited to prosecution of officers if culpability is established,” the statement read.