Kenya, May 14 -- Senior Principal Magistrate Samson Temu from Kibra High Court has sparked a lot of anger after he made a surprising statement during a court session about a police brutality case.
Temu said, "We train police to kill people, not animals," and many people are upset because they see this as supporting too much violence from the police. This comment has caused a strong reaction on social media and among Kenyans.
The statement was made on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, during a court case about police wrongdoing. It has increased public anger about what many believe is a problem of police and judicial impunity in Kenya.
People on social media are expressing their frustration, saying that the magistrate's words are helping to make police violence seem normal and are making it harder for victims to find justice.
Human rights activist Mercy Wanjiru said, "This shows how the system thinks about police violence. When a judge justifies killing, how can we expect justice?"
Legal experts and groups that support human rights have spoken out too, saying Temu's words show a worrying attitude in the courts.
"Comments like this harm the public's trust in the courts and make police feel like they can do whatever they want," noted James Otieno, a lawyer from Nairobi.
Because of the backlash, people are calling for Temu to be suspended and for an investigation into what he said.
The case, which involves claims of police using too much force, is still ongoing, with the next court session set for next week.
As anger grows, this issue has brought back discussions about police reform and accountability in Kenya. Many are asking for changes to reduce violence and impunity in the system.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.