A senior police officer was captured on video telling citizens to lynch murder suspects.
The officer whose identity is yet to be established is seen in the undated video addressing a public forum and telling them that the law allows the public to lynch notorious suspects.
“Kama mtu si peaceful, you assault that person as you wait for the police. Kama mtu amefanya kitendo tunasema hot pursuit, amedunga mtu, bado the incident is still fresh huyo mtu auwawe,” he stated.
Moreover, the officer is heard in the video saying he is an OCS at a station named Bondeni.
According to the police officer, such actions are permitted by law.
“Article 24 of this Constitution says certain rights can be limited and the right to life is one right which can be limited,” he said.
Article 24 states that; “A right or fundamental freedom in the Bill of Rights shall not be limited except by law, and then only to the extent that the limitation is reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society based on human dignity, equality and freedom.”
Woi! pic.twitter.com/MDDchnzyTm
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Clause three of the article adds, “The State or a person seeking to justify a particular limitation shall demonstrate to the court, tribunal or other authority that the requirements of this Article have been satisfied”.
While trying to defend his argument, the officer is heard saying that if three percent of people in a given population is responsible for causing havoc in society, the portion of the troublesome population should be eliminated to save the remaining 97 per cent of the population.
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“Hatuwezi allow few individuals ambao ni wakorofi waendelee kudisturb watu wengi in the society, that one is not protected in the law,” he said.
Nonetheless, the shocking video and remarks from a senior police officer comes at a time when the country is trying to address past cases of extrajudicial killings involving police officers.
The officer, clad in full police uniform, further challenged the audience to disapprove of what he was saying by quoting the section of the Constitution which criminalizes killing.
“Article 24, the limitation clause (and) Article 51 of the UN Charter inasema ya kwamba mtu akicommit crime, hapa ameua mtu anafuatwa under hot pursuit pia auawe. It is there,” he stressed.