A Kenyan court has charged four police officers with crimes against humanity in connection with the death of six-month-old Samantha Pendo, who died during a police crackdown on opposition supporters in 2017. The officers pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to Samantha’s mother, the baby died after police threw tear gas into their home in Kisumu, suffocating and beating her.
The incident was part of a larger wave of protests challenging the outcome of the 2017 presidential vote, which led to the deaths of 39 other protesters.
The prosecutor’s office initially recommended charges against 12 officers for the deaths of Samantha Pendo and the other protesters.
However, charges against eight officers were dropped due to insufficient evidence, sparking widespread condemnation from rights groups, including Amnesty International’s Kenya chapter.
These groups argue that the decision was made without involving the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, which investigated the case.
Police brutality and extrajudicial killings are frequent accusations against Kenyan officers, but convictions are rare.
