Ipoa links former Bondeni OCS to the shooting of Nakuru teen
Witney Atieno, 19, a Form Four student at the Nakuru Central Secondary School who was allegedly shot by police officers on June 12, 2022.
In 2022, the tragic death of Whitney Atieno sent shockwaves through Bondeni Estate, leaving the community in mourning.
On that fateful day, the 19-year-old had planned to visit a salon in Lake View before heading to school. Her best friend, Ruth Waithera, decided to accompany her on the short trip.
While Whitney was getting her hair done, police were conducting a crackdown on members of the notorious Confirm gang.
Curious about the commotion, Whitney and Ruth went to observe the scene, just like many others. However, in the midst of the chaos, Whitney was tragically shot and later died while receiving treatment at the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Ruth, on the other hand, sustained serious injuries.
The killing of the young student ignited outrage among the local residents, who took to the streets in protest.
They blocked access roads, demanding justice for Whitney's death and condemning the police for the violence that affected two innocent high school students.
In an emotional interview with the Nation at the time, Rebecca Bulimo, Whitney’s foster mother, pleaded for justice for her foster daughter.
“She was a bright student who always focused on her studies. What we want is justice for her death,” she said.
Rebecca accused the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Eric Wekesa of being responsible for the shooting that killed Whitney and severely injured Ruth.
This resulted to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), launching an investigation into the incident.
Two and a half years later, Japheth Kaimenyi, the Regional Coordinator at IPOA, confirmed that their investigations had been completed and the findings were submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
"We pursued the investigations to the end and handed over the file to the ODPP, which agreed with our findings. The OCS at the time will be charged with murder," Mr Kaimenyi said.
He added that the case would be mentioned in court later this month, bringing some hope for justice in the long-awaited matter.