Police constable turns gun on self in Ngong

A police constable shot himself dead at Ngong police station on Monday morning in what his superiors are attributing to stress.

Constable Stanley Narangwe had reported for night patrol duties on Sunday night and had worked till Monday at 5am.

According to the OB entry number 49/12/2/2012, the officer together with his colleague had left the station at around 6.30pm and proceeded to patrol Ngong town and the Mathare area until 11pm.

When the pair returned to the station, the deceased went to the report office and made an entry about their return, OB entry number 60/12/2/2012. This was around 11 pm.

He then stayed at the station’s reception area till around 5am on Monday when he left for his house located about 20 metres from the station building.

On arrival, he sat on his bed and shot himself on the chin.

He was staying alone in a one-roomed house within the police station staff quarters.

His neighbours said they heard the deceased groaning in pain after shooting himself.

His body was found lying on the bed drenched in a pool of blood. He still had his uniform on.

The officer was enlisted into the Kenya police force in 1997 and was based at the Embakasi police station before being transferred to Ngong three years ago.

Kajiado North OCPD Farah Maalim said that the officer could have been stressed and urged all officers who could be having problems to feel free and discuss with their seniors.

His colleagues at the station said that he looked depressed for the last few months and would occasionally resort to heavy drinking.

A fortnight ago, a General Service Unit (GSU) officer Constable Joshua Munyao shot himself on the head at GSU headquarters Ruaraka.

His colleagues told Nation that he had been complaining of stress and family problems.

Constable Munyao is alleged to have told his colleague, with whom he was partnered with, to keep watch on a nearby gate. He then shot himself in the head using his AK 47 rifle when the colleague left.

On May 14 last year, Constable Jacob Rop of Parklands police station went berserk and shot dead his boss, injured a colleague before turning the gun on himself.

Witnesses said Constable Rop and Senior Sergeant Hassan Yusuf engaged in a heated argument as Mr Rop was returning his rifle after night duty at about 7 am.

The Constable reportedly aimed his rifle and fired at Sergeant Hassan in close range killing him instantly, before shooting another police officer stationed at the report desk on the chest as he rushed to the scene to intervene.