This archive report was first published on 9 September 2021.
On September 8, 2021, a police officer based in Lokori police station in Turkana County was fatally wounded by a suspect as he was responding to a murder incident.
According to a police report, the incident occurred after two youth had engaged in a scuffle in Lotubae sub-location. Police officers, accompanied by DCI detectives, rushed to the scene and found the suspect locked inside a house, armed with a sword.
Despite being ordered to surrender, the suspect declined and eventually came out wielding his sword. One officer attempted to subdue him, but the suspect managed to discharge the officer's AK-47 rifle, firing several rounds that hit two police officers.
One officer succumbed to his injuries as he was being rushed to hospital, while the other officer was treated and referred to Lodwar County Referral Hospital for further treatment.
The suspect is in custody and awaiting arraignment. The bodies of both the officer and the first victim were taken to Lodwar Referral hospital morgue awaiting postmortem.
Rift Valley Regional Commissioner, George Natembeya, has linked the rising cases of insecurity in the Northern region to the high number of guns in the hands of cattle rustlers and bandits.
"Proliferation of illegal firearms here is very high and almost every family owns several guns, which they are using to wreak havoc. This is not a jungle. We want to restore normalcy once and for all," Natembeya stated.
