Garissa MP calls for investigation into controversial taxi driver’s death in Kenya

Garissa taxi driver’s death sparks dispute between leaders and police; IPOA, DCI probe as postmortem looms

GARISSA, Kenya — A confrontation is brewing in Garissa after the death of 25-year-old taxi driver Sheikh Ahmed Omar, with local leaders and family members alleging he was shot at close range by officers at a Modika roadblock, while police say he died in a crash as he fled a stop along the Nunow–Modogashe road.

Omar died early Wednesday, four days after the incident on Dec. 20, according to leaders who gathered at the Garissa County Referral Hospital mortuary. Their account conflicts sharply with the version given by Garissa County Police Commander Amos Ambasa, underscoring rising tensions over policing in the region and prompting calls for an immediate, independent investigation by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

Garissa Township MP Major (Rtd) Dekow Mohamed, joined by several MCAs and community elders, accused security officers from the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) stationed at Modika of using excessive force. He said witnesses who were inside Omar’s vehicle reported that the driver was shot at close range.

“As leaders from this county, we are saddened by the excesses of the police as they are killing and maiming our people,” Mohamed said at the mortuary, adding that the community would not accept a return to abusive practices. He called on the Inspector General of Police and IPOA to take over the case, identify those responsible and ensure accountability.

Ambasa rejected the shooting claims. He said officers on patrol flagged down a vehicle near a roadblock along the Nunow–Modogashe road around midnight, but the driver made a U-turn and sped away. Officers gave chase and found the car had crashed about 150 meters from the roadblock, he said.

“The driver succumbed to the injuries,” Ambasa said, adding that two boys, estimated to be about 15 years old, were in the vehicle and sustained minor injuries. Traffic officers towed the vehicle to the police station and moved the body to the mortuary, he said. The county commander also noted the vehicle was carrying bales of clothing suspected to be illegally sourced from neighboring Somalia, which he said could explain the driver’s decision to flee.

Ambasa said the case has been referred to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and IPOA to determine whether the pursuit contributed to the fatality and to establish the precise circumstances of the death.

The government pathologist is expected to conduct a postmortem Wednesday to establish the cause of death — a key step likely to shape the direction of both the criminal inquiry and the oversight probe. Leaders and relatives insist the autopsy, witness statements and scene reconstruction should be handled transparently and independently.

Local leaders also referenced a separate incident in Demajale earlier this week as evidence of what they describe as a pattern of heavy-handed policing, though details of that case were not immediately available. They warned that community trust in security agencies is fraying and urged authorities to move swiftly to provide answers in Omar’s death.

The disputed narratives — alleged close-range shooting by RDU officers versus a self-involved crash during a police pursuit — have elevated pressure on national oversight bodies to intervene. IPOA is mandated to investigate deaths and serious injuries resulting from police action. Its findings, alongside DCI inquiries and the postmortem results, will be crucial in determining whether criminal charges, disciplinary action or policy reviews follow.

As family members prepared for the postmortem, they joined leaders in demanding justice and clarity, saying the official police report describing a road accident fails to reflect witness accounts. Authorities urged calm as investigations continue.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.