NAIROBI, Kenya – The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched investigations into the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old boy in Mwiki, Kasarani constituency, in what witnesses say was an unprovoked act by a police officer.
Joshua Stephen was gunned down on Saturday afternoon during a routine patrol by officers in the densely populated estate. Eyewitnesses say the teenager was not armed and posed no threat.
CCTV footage broadcast by Citizen TV shows seven uniformed police officers patrolling the area, followed closely by a marked Land Cruiser.
At approximately 3:42 p.m., one of the officers—identified by sources as a Chief Inspector not based at the local post—is seen raising his firearm and firing a single round.
Bystanders are seen scattering in panic. A resident tried to carry the teenager to safety.
Joshua was rushed to Uzima Uhai Health Centre, where doctors confirmed he had suffered a gunshot wound above the right eye. The bullet had no exit wound, indicating it was fired at close range.
The firearm used in the shooting has since been traced to the Kasarani Police Station.
Mwiki shooting probe:Probe yet to start into killing of a 19-year-old. Joshua Steven allegedly shot dead by a police officer. Identity of the police officer yet to be revealed#CitizenSundayLive @OBurrows
IPOA Confirms Active Investigation
In a statement released Sunday evening, IPOA confirmed it had taken up the case and had deployed a Rapid Investigations Team to the scene.
“The Authority is investigating circumstances surrounding the shooting incident in Mwiki, Nairobi, where a male youth lost his life. Our team is on the ground collecting evidence and statements,” IPOA said.
However, as of Monday morning, no arrests had been made.
Joshua’s father, Samuel Njehia, demanded swift justice.
“We have been waiting for days. The shooter is clearly visible in the CCTV footage. Why has no one been arrested?” he asked, speaking outside the Uzima Uhai Health Centre.
The tragic incident has reignited debate over excessive use of force by police officers and raised questions about internal accountability mechanisms within the National Police Service.
Second Death Deepens Crisis
Just hours before Joshua’s death, 21-year-old Abigail Wanjiku was found murdered in her home in the same neighborhood.
Her mother discovered her body late Friday night, with blood stains on the walls and floor. Neighbors say they heard no signs of a struggle, fuelling speculation that the attack may have involved someone known to her.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Homicide Unit has taken over the probe, with a postmortem scheduled at Kenyatta University Funeral Home. Chief Government Pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor will conduct the autopsy.
MP, Residents Demand Answers
Kasarani Member of Parliament Ronald Karauri condemned both incidents, describing them as a disturbing reflection of systemic failure in the country’s security architecture.
“These are not isolated cases. They reflect a broader failure in our policing systems. We cannot stand by as our young people are killed either by criminals or by those meant to protect them,” Karauri said.
Residents have decried what they term as rising impunity among security forces and poor response to violent crime.
“We’re living in fear. If rogue police officers aren’t held to account, who will protect us?” asked Mary Achieng’, a Mwiki resident and mother of two.
Public Pressure Mounts
Youth activists are planning a peaceful demonstration later this week to demand expedited action from IPOA and the DCI.
Civil society groups are also calling for the immediate interdiction of the officer seen on video firing the fatal shot.
The latest incidents add to a growing list of cases where IPOA has been called in to investigate police shootings, with public confidence in the oversight body being closely watched.
