Policeman killed, gun stolen in daring Kilifi gang attack
Police in Rabai, Kilifi county have launched a manhunt for gangsters who killed a police officer and took away his gun on Sunday evening.
Armed with crude weapons, the attackers, suspected to be members of the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC), waylaid Kelvin Kiragu and his colleague Brian Mwadime, who were on patrol along the Bondora- Mwakirunge road.
Mwadime escaped unhurt, but Kiragu succumbed to injuries. He had deep cuts on the head.
Kilifi County Police Commander James Mugera said they were following crucial leads that lead to arrest of the suspects and recovery of the G3 rifle stolen from the slain officer.
“I can confirm that it’s true we have lost one of our officers while on duty. He was brutally attacked by unknown people while on patrol, we are in hot pursuit of the attackers and recover the gun that is in the wrong hands,” he said.
The two officers were stationed at Rabai police station.
A boda boda rider Harrison Mwamuye, 29, who was ferrying the two officers also sustained serious injuries on the head. He is receiving treatment at Holani Medical Centre.
“The attackers escaped into a nearby thicket but we have deployed police to comb the area in search of the gun,” he said.
Growing tension
Residents who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation by the gang claimed the officers were in hot pursuit of palm wine transporters who had refused to stop when they were ordered to do so.
The sources said there has been growing tension between the police officers and the palm wine transporters who claim the former have been harassing them demanding bribes.
The route is frequented by the motorbike riders to transport the wine to Mombasa
The boda boda operators have been having hard time transporting the brew to Mombasa following the government directive prohibiting movement in out of the county to stop the spread of coronavirus.
This is not the first incident in which police have been attacked and killed in the area. Several other officers have in the past been killed in raid on police stations by suspected MRC members.
