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{
    "id": 1604186,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1604186/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 141,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Veronica Maina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity. I also thank Sen. Eddy for bringing an important Statement before the Floor of this House. I want to believe this is a dream. I have never imagined in my whole life, even as a trained advocate, that an accused person, charged with a misdemeanor, not a felony, not an offence of such gravity, could be killed within the precincts of a police station. There would not be any justification for such an act, even if the suspect were charged with a serious offence. I want to believe it is a dream that Albert was actually picked up by persons who identified themselves as police officers. He was picked from his home, handed over to the police by his parents, who were following behind to help him in secure a bond, so that he could stand trial. He was taken to a police station and after a few hours, Albert died from head injuries, neck compression and multiple soft tissue trauma. Pathologists have ruled out self-inflicted injuries. This is very sad. I must admit that it must not happen to anybody within the Republic of Kenya. The other day, Boniface Mwangi, the activist who went to Tanzania with his friends, some of whom we do not even support, were tortured there. Kenyans were up in arms because of how the Tanzanian police behaved. How much more when Kenya is a leader in democracy and political expression, should our police act within the constitutional parameters granted to them? I want to take a moment to reflect because I worked on a police reform programme with Laikipia University. We introduced human rights training to the police. Any time an accused person is arrested, they have rights under the Constitution. The Bill of Rights protects them. I condemn, in the strongest terms possible, the murder of Albert Ojwang’ while in police custody. It is embarrassing. Whoever did it is sabotaging the Government of the day. It is very wrong. Action must be taken, a thorough investigation carried out, and all those found culpable must be held accountable. Let the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) now do its work. We are looking to see that IPOA can, for once, hold police officers responsible for---"
}