On Thursday, June 13, a crazed trigger-happy policeman shot and killed a magistrate because he was incensed by her decision to detain his wife.
Three police officers, assigned guard duty at the Makadara law courts who rushed to shield the magistrate, are fighting for their lives in hospital.
Misuse of firearms is so frighteningly frequent in the police service we must wonder whether police chiefs grasp the dangers their officers now pose to the public.
The tragic events of Thursday have once again shone the light on the mental health nightmare the police service must urgently address. There is no time to waste. Lives are at stake. It’s a disgrace that this issue has not been addressed with the urgency it deserves
A mentally ill senior spy took his own life only two weeks ago.
Chief Justice Martha Koome has responsibly put out a raft of changes to shield judicial staff from harm. Anyone with a gun will no longer be allowed to enter a court of law.
Koome also stressed the need for police officers deployed to the judiciary to be trained and vetted.
The police chiefs must review firearms policy and introduce a mental health test every year for anyone licensed to carry a gun. As the saying goes a stitch in time saves nine.
Quote of the Day: “I think we are blind. Blind people who can see, but do not see.”
José Saramago
The Portuguese writer, novelist and Nobel laureate died on June 18, 2010