The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has provided an update on investigations into the fatal shooting of a man in Garissa County.
In a statement on Thursday, April 23, the agency said the probe was launched after it received official notification of the incident from the National Police Service (NPS).
"The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA's Rapid Response Team yesterday commenced investigations into the fatal shooting of Mr. Adan Mohamed Hassan on 21st April 2026 near the Modika Barrier in Garissa County," the statement read.
IPOA outlined preliminary findings on events leading to the shooting, indicating the deceased had responded to assist a friend who had been arrested.
"Preliminary findings indicate that at approximately 2:20 a.m. on the material day, the deceased responded to a distress call from a friend who had been arrested, during which his vehicle was damaged by officers from the Balambala Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI)," the statement added
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The authority further detailed the circumstances under which Hassan was shot and the medical findings from the postmortem.
"While the deceased attempted to intervene, he suffered a fatal gunshot injury. A postmortem examination established the cause of death as a single gunshot wound to the head," the statement further read.
IPOA said investigators had already carried out several steps aimed at preserving evidence and gathering information relevant to the case.
"IPOA investigators have undertaken several actions, including attending the post-mortem examination, recording witness statements, obtaining police documents, securing critical exhibits, documenting the crime scene, and documenting both the police and the damaged civilian motor vehicles," the statement concluded.
IPOA appealed to members of the public to remain calm as investigations continue.
This comes weeks after IPOA launched investigations following the death of a man during a political rally held in Kitengela.
In a statement on Monday, February 16, after monitoring events in both Mombasa and Kajiado County, the authority confirmed that it had been present to observe police conduct as part of its constitutional mandate.
"The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), pursuant to its mandate, monitored police conduct during the political rallies held in Mombasa and Kajiado counties on 15th February 2026 to ensure compliance with Article 244 of the Constitution of Kenya and other applicable laws," the statement read.
IPOA expressed concern over the reported fatality and injuries during the rally, stating that the incident occurred as police officers sought to maintain public order.
"The Authority noted with great concern the loss of life and injuries during the Kitengela political rally, allegedly occurring as members of the National Police Service (NPS) endeavoured to maintain law and order," the statement added.
Following the incident, the oversight body said it had immediately moved to initiate an independent inquiry.
A rapid-response team made up of monitoring and investigation officers has been dispatched to collect evidence, interview witnesses, and establish the sequence of events that led to the death.
"Accordingly, in compliance with Part B (5) of the Sixth Schedule of the NPS Act, CAP. 84 of the Laws of Kenya, read together with Section 6(a) of the IPOA Act, CAP. 86 of the Laws of Kenya, IPOA has deployed a rapid-response team comprising monitoring and investigation officers to Kitengela to conduct an independent inquiry into the matter," the statement continued.
IPOA said the investigation will focus on determining the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the role played by law enforcement officers and whether the force used was necessary and proportionate under Kenyan law.
"The investigations aim to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, determine the extent of police involvement, assess whether the use of force was justified, and evaluate whether it was proportionate as defined by law," the statement noted
IPOA pledged transparency once the inquiry is complete, saying the findings will be released to the public and recommendations issued to relevant government agencies if wrongdoing is established.
"The Authority will make its findings public and issue recommendations to the relevant agencies to address identified issues where culpability is established," the statement concluded.
