Residents of Makongeni in Thika, Kiambu County, were left in shock after police confirmed that the two men killed by a drunk detective were not the boda boda rider and his passenger, as earlier thought.
The officer, identified as Police Constable Eric Gitonga from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters, had been involved in a minor accident on Sunday morning after his car hit a boda boda carrying two people.The parties were to report the matter at Makongeni Police Station, but the situation took a tragic turn.
Witnesses said the officer, who appeared drunk, suddenly pulled out his gun and opened fire on members of the public who had gathered to question him about reckless driving.
The bullets struck two bystanders who had rushed to the scene.
A police report later identified the victims as Kennedy Ojuma, 38, and Stephen Mwendwa Maweu, 39, both boda boda operators from the area.They succumbed to gunshot wounds and were taken to the General Kago Funeral Home in Thika.Traffic officers who responded to the incident noted that Constable Gitonga was rowdy and resisted efforts to be disarmed.
During the scuffle, he fatally shot the two men before he was finally arrested.
Following his arrest, the officer was detained at Thika Police Station and is expected to face charges once investigations are complete.
Meanwhile, angry residents set ablaze the black Audi he had been driving, vowing to push for justice for the slain men.
The shooting has sparked outrage across Kiambu, with many demanding that authorities take strict action against rogue officers who misuse firearms while intoxicated.
By Nation