KDF soldier who killed girlfriend had Machine Gun, police say
Ms Elizabeth Ndunguli Kivuva, 25, a pharmacist in Kitui town who was shot dead on April 25, 2016 at Kunda Kindu estate in Kitui town by her boyfriend, Senior Private Fredrick Mutua Kyombo. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- The independent investigations are also to establish whether the soldier based at the 15 Kenya Artillery Mariakani committed suicide or he was shot dead by officers from Kitui police station.
- When officers finally gained entry into the house, they found a heavy barrel Light Machine Gun (LMG) serial number 385023 with 37 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, two empty magazines, and also six spent cartridges.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldier who killed his girlfriend before he allegedly committed suicide had a heavy barrel Light Machine Gun and about 200 rounds of ammunition.
As a result, fresh investigations have been launched to establish how Senior Private Fredrick Mutua Kyombo soldier carried the superior weapon and the rounds of ammunition from his place of work, about 420km away.
The independent investigations are also to establish whether the soldier based at the 15 Kenya Artillery Mariakani committed suicide or he was shot dead by officers from Kitui police station.
When officers finally gained entry into the house, they found a heavy barrel Light Machine Gun (LMG) serial number 385023 with 37 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, two empty magazines, and also six spent cartridges.
However, the family was later informed that the soldier had spent the night at the Kitui Resort Hotel. The following day, his father, Mr Joseph Kyombo who was accompanied by the Kathome Sub Location Assistant Chief, went to the hotel to collect his luggage.
In one of the bags, the father found five magazines, 150 of ammunition, all of calibre 5.56mm and also found was a spare barrel serial number 1005-1.
According to the police, they rushed to Kunda Kindu estate within the town at around 7.30am where they found the body of Ms Elizabeth Ndunguli Kivuva, 25, in her neighbour’s house. She had a gunshot on the head.
Police also claim that when the soldier saw the officers, he locked himself in his lover’s house and started “shooting at the officers through the window.”
Police then lobbed teargas canisters into the house but he did not get out, prompting the police to use live ammunition. The operation, according to the police, took about three hours.
Some eye witnesses have given contradicting information but police maintained that he shot himself.
“The assailant eventually shot himself through the chin which exited through the left side of the skull,” the police report indicated.
Initial police reports attribute the fatal shooting to a love triangle. Ms Kivuva graduated from the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) two years ago and was working as a pharmacist in a local chemist.
According to her close friends, the deceased was jovial the previous day and did not show any signs of worry.
A week ago, another Administration Policeman shot dead his girlfriend in a suspected love-triangle in Wabera village, Isiolo town.
According to the Isiolo County Criminal Investigation Officer (CCIO) David Cheruiyot, the Senior Sergeant used a government firearm to kill Ms Halima Omar, in her mid 20’s, at around 6.30am, after night patrol duty.
He found the door open, and without exchanging any words, shot the deceased on the chest and disappeared.
