Kenyan police have arrested a 19-year-old motorist who was filmed attacking a traffic policeman on a road in Nairobi. The widely shared video shows the motorist punching and kicking the officer, even after he falls to the ground. The incident has sparked an unusual wave of sympathy for the police, who are often criticized for brutality and bribery.
According to a police report, the altercation began when the motorist was stopped after making a U-turn on a busy road, obstructing other vehicles. The officer, Patrick Ogendo, entered the car and instructed the driver to head to a nearby police station. En route, the driver allegedly stopped, drew a sword from under the seat, and attacked the officer, who then exited the vehicle for his safety. The motorist followed and continued the assault, also stealing a police pocket phone battery.
Officer Ogendo received first aid at a nearby health center before being transferred to a hospital for further treatment. An accomplice of the suspect was arrested at the scene, and a police team was mobilized to search for the main perpetrator, who was later arrested at his residence in Nairobi.
The attack has been condemned by various public figures. Robert Alai, a member of Nairobi’s county assembly, expressed his dismay, questioning, “How do you assault a uniformed police officer in this manner?” Former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko also criticized the attack, stating, “This is totally unacceptable. We shouldn’t allow our police officers in uniform to be humiliated to this level.”
Nairobi’s head of traffic, Vitalis Otieno, told local media that the suspect would be charged with several offenses, including attempted murder.
