By Shamirah Abdallah (Correspondent)
Two youths in Kenya were shot while the police opted to use live bullets to disperse protesters. This happened on Friday in Lamu County in Kenya.
The two civilians were shot protesting outside Lamu Court, in demand for their colleague who was convicted of drug trafficking to be set free. However, two policemen were also injured during the scandal.
The youths had prepared themselves armed with stones, machetes and clubs ready to attack the officers.
When the police was transferring the convict back to Hindi prison after the court session on Friday evening, the youths tried to block the police from doing so, which forced the police to use force and live bullets on them.
“The trouble started after the youths turned chaotic and begun throwing stones at us. They threatened to attack the magistrate and burn the courts too, if their colleague was not set free,” one of the officers explained.
Those that witnessed the incident reported that, the youths were not satisfied with the judgment on their friend and felt it as being unfair.
“The incident was a total breach of the law as the locals attempted to take the law in their hands,” said Lamu County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri.
“The youths had planned to rescue a convicted drug peddler who had just been sentenced to 20 years in jail by Magistrate Njeri Thuku, after being found guilty of the crime,” he added.
Mr Kanyiri said the police had launched investigations and that those who will be found to be behind the scenario, would face the law. He also warned the locals against engaging in criminal acts otherwise, they would all face the law.
Mohammed Yusuf, 40, and Abdulatif Abdalla, 16, are now under treatment at the King Fahad hospital in Lamu County.
Issa Timammy is among the first leaders that visited the victims in the hospital on Friday night to console them.
However, residents with human rights activists in the county criticized the police for using excessive force on the protesters instead of just arresting them.
Therefore, they called upon the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate the matter saying the police infringed on the rights of the protesters.