Catechist held after man fires gun at church service

A catechist, who is also a primary school headteacher, is in police custody after two AK47 guns were seized from a man who walked into a church service in Kerio Valley and opened fire.

No one was hurt after the man stormed St Augustine’s Tot Baptist Church and started slapping worshippers before shooting in the air.

The church uses one of the classrooms at Tot Primary School for worship.

Before he entered the building, he announced his arrival from far, shouting in Marakwet language.

He yelled: “Jesus told his disciples that the son of man will come like a thief at a time when least expected.’’

Soon after, he stormed in holding the two weapons and threatened to shoot the preacher. Marakwet East OCPD Emmanuel Rono said the worshippers were lucky to escape unhurt in the 11am incident.

The worshippers were, however, relatively calm since having a gun in Kerio Valley is not strange.

“This man must have smoked bhang. But we thank God nothing happened to us,” said Mr Kipkeu Murkomen, a worshipper.

The school is located at an area claimed by two clans.

The police boss said some officers on patrol responded after the gunshots and apprehended the man who had in his possession 214 rounds of ammunition.

Mr Rono said the suspect and the catechist were taken to Tot police station for interrogation.

Police said they had intelligence that local gun owners use the school for “safe keeping” of unregistered firearms, and wanted to know how the gunman accessed the school where the service was being held without the headteacher’s knowledge.