Middle East & Africa | Crime fiction

Kenya’s cops are spinning wild tales

When people don’t trust you, try cartoons and creative writing

Image: DCI Kenya/X

“One of them fired at the detective, missing his ear by a whisker. But in a quick rejoinder, the detective...chambered a round and gave the thug a taste of his own medicine, fixing the thug’s appointment with his creator instantly.” One could be forgiven for thinking these words are from a fast-paced (if trashy) action thriller. In fact they are an account of a fatal shooting released on social media by Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), part of the national police.

This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Crime fiction”

From the September 30th 2023 edition

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