A teenage driver who beat up a Kenyan policeman has been arrested

The incident sparked rare expressions of sympathy for police (AFP)

Kenyan police have arrested a 19-year-old driver who was filmed hitting a traffic policeman on a road in the capital, Nairobi.

The widely shared video shows the man attacking the policeman with punches and kicks to the head, even as he fell to the ground.

After the intervention of other people who helped the officer, the driver fled.

The shocking attack has led to a rare outpouring of sympathy for a police force notorious for brutality and bribery.

A police report shows the man was initially detained after he made a U-turn on a busy road and obstructed other drivers.

Traffic Officer Patrick Ogendo is said to have entered the vehicle and instructed him to drive to a nearby police station.

On the way, “the driver suddenly stopped and pulled his sword under the seat.”

“For his own safety, the officer jumped out of the vehicle and the driver started punching and kicking him,” he added in the statement.

Preliminary findings show that the driver also stole a battery for a police pocket phone.

The policeman was given first aid at a nearby health center and then taken to hospital for treatment.

The statement said the suspect’s alleged accomplice was arrested at the scene and a police team was mobilized to search for the man who carried out the attack.

The attack was widely condemned, with some calling it unacceptable.

“How can you assault a uniformed police officer like that?” asked Robert Alai, Nairobi County Assemblyman.

“This is completely unacceptable. We should not allow our uniformed police officers to be degraded to this level,” said Mike Sonko, former governor of Nairobi.

According to reports, the suspect was arrested at his apartment in the capital on Sunday evening.

Nairobi traffic chief Vitalis Otieno told local media he would be charged with a number of offenses including attempted murder.

A teenage driver who beat up a Kenyan policeman has been arrested

More BBC articles on Kenya:

BBC Africa Podcasts