Dominic Wabala
19 January 2008
Nairobi — Police Friday gave the death toll from three weeks of violence over the disputed presidential elections at 510 people.
Police Spokesman Eric Kiraithe said 87 of those had died during "police intervention, but not necessarily shot by police".
Mr Kiraithe said that 70 per cent of the deaths, translating into 356 people, occurred in Rift Valley. Three hundred people have been prosecuted in post-election violence related offences while 621 properties were destroyed.
Fifty four people lost their lives in Western province, 51 in Nairobi, 39 in Nyanza and 10 in Coast Province.
The Police Spokesman said that one woman died of bullet injuries in Kisumu's Bandari area after a mob blocked the highway and attempted to set ablaze 47 oil tankers destined for Uganda.
Although one man was killed by a stray bullet in Kakamega during the protests, Mr Kiraithe said investigations had revealed that none of the weapons carried by the officers had fired the fatal bullet.
He also said four deaths had been reported in Kariobangi after police intervention, but quickly added that not all deaths could be attributed to the police.
Rubber bullets
Police also claimed that one of the men killed in Kariobangi was carrying 10 grams of an explosive material and a detonator.
Short of admitting lack of essential equipment, Mr Kiraithe said police were using limited resources to maintain law and order, "Police are trying to enhance the use of rubber bullets, but currently we are using whatever resources we have."
He denied allegations that police were supporting a political agenda, saying "everything is being done to ensure police enforce the law with impartiality".
Mr Kiraithe said that investigations into the alleged brutal killing of a man by an officer in Kisumu had been initiated though the officer had not been sacked.
Meanwhile, three foreigners have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in terror activities in the country.
The two Germans and a Dutch were arrested on Thursday night as they prepared to jet out of the country.
The three, who police named as Andrej Hermlin-Leder, Gerd Uwe and Fleur Van Dissel, a Dutch passport holder, allegedly entered the country as journalists but "have been conducting themselves in a suspicious manner".
Mr Kiraithe said the three had pictures and sketches of strategic installations in the country.
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