Ahmed Rashid: Eastleigh Cop In Viral Video Charged With Murder
Rashid, who has been out on police bond, had requested Justice Diana Mochache to release him on a Ksh100,000 cash bail
Marvin Chege 
Corporal Ahmed Rashid, the police officer captured on a viral video shooting at two boys in the Eastleigh suburb of Nairobi on March 31, 2017, was on Monday, April 17, charged with murder.
Rashid, who pleaded not guilty to both charges, is accused of killing Jamal Mohammed and Mohammed Dhair Kheri in 2017. He was deemed psychologically fit to stand trial after undergoing a medical examination.
Rashid, who has been out on police bond, had requested Justice Diana Mochache to release him on a Ksh100,000 cash bail instead of in custody at Industrial Area.
A photo of Pangani police officer Ahmed Rashid during an interview with the BBC in September 2018. /BBC
Through his defence team led by renowned lawyer, Danstan Omari, Rashid argued that despite being out on police bond, he has never absconded court. He further argued that by virtue of being a police officer and through the nature of the crime he was accused of, being remanded in the facility was a danger to his life.
However, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) through state counsel Gichuhi Gikui said that they had an application to make before the bail ruling. The DPP had asked until 4 pm to file the application, which was denied by the court.
The judge however settled with releasing him on a Ksh200,000 cash bail. In a previous court appearance, Rashid argued that the two teenagers were killed in a robbery incident after attacking police officers.
"Regarding the incident in the issue of 2017, the two were killed in the cause of robbery, they were dangerous and had attacked police officers," the court heard.
A report from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) corroborated preliminary findings by the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA). ODPP had interrogated IPOA's report and found that there was adequate evidence to charge the officer with murder.
"The Independent Policing Oversight Authority concluded the investigation into the deaths of Mr Jamal Mohamed and Mr Mohamed Dahir Kheri following a shooting which occurred at Eastleigh, Nairobi County on March 31, 2017, and established that the fatalities were occasioned by police action," IPOA Chairperson Anne Makori said in a statement.
"Guided by Section 29(a) of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority Act, the findings were forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions with the recommendation to charge Corporal Ahmed Rashid, with murder."
IPOA had reviewed evidence from CCTV footage, as well as ballistic investigations and postmortem examinations, and established that the deaths of the two men were occasioned by the activities of police officers. It then undertook investigations into the matter that went viral both locally and internationally.
However, the police watchdog was unable to ascertain the identity of another man captured on camera during the shootings.
Consequently, IPOA went to the High Court to secure a summon against Ahmed which will require him to appear before the court for pleading on December 8, 2022.
During the time of the incident, Rashid led the feared 'Pangani Six' unit, an alleged killer police squad operating in Eastleigh and Mathare slums linked to a number of extrajudicial police killings in the areas.
In the amateur video shot from a balcony in Eastleigh, a police officer in plain clothes could be seen raining bullets at a man lying on the road. The officer, upon running out of ammunition, signalled his companion who in turn gave him his firearm.
He continued shooting at the already lying man before proceeding to the next man lying a few metres away. The case drew angry reactions from human rights defenders and groups who faulted the officer for using excessive force in the line of duty, as part of the extra-judicial killings to combat the increasing crime rate.
However, some Kenyans questioned the move to charge the officer with murder, arguing that this would revive chaos in areas that had calm restored.
To be specific, Ahmed was loved by residents of the Eastleigh and Mathare slums as well as Mlango Kubwa and Pangani for restoring law and order that allowed them to carry out their businesses without fear of insecurity.
