OCS disarmed, locked up for indiscriminate shooting

An OCS has been fired over a shooting incident in Kitui County. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The officer would be arraigned in court this week to face charges of attempted murder.
  • According to a report filed at Nguutani police station, the OCS had spent the better part of Sunday night drinking at Kata Kiu bar.

A police station commander in Kitui County was Tuesday disarmed and locked up by his colleagues after he started shooting indiscriminately while drunk.

Chief Inspector Simon Mugira, who is the Nguutani police station OCS, has also been relieved of his duties after the morning shooting drama that shocked local residents.

Migwani OCPD Julius Muu confirmed the incident, saying the OCS had only served as the station commander for two weeks and it was not clear why he attempted to attack innocent people with his official firearm.

CHARGES
Mr Muu said the officer would be arraigned in court this week to face charges of attempted murder.

“As for now he is not on duty and we are keenly watching him as we investigate the matter further. We have also confiscated his Ceska pistol,” the OCPD said.

According to a report filed at Nguutani police station by a Peter Sila who witnessed the incident, the OCS had spent the better part of Sunday night drinking at Kata Kiu bar at the shopping centre while armed.

“At around 6.45am, he is said to have walked outside the bar where he found a young boy fetching water from a nearby tap.

"The officer chased the boy then shot at him as he fled. Luckily, the boy escaped unhurt as the bullet missed him,” the report seen by the Nation reads.

ARREST
"Hearing the sound of the gun shots, my wife went out to check what was happening but she immediately rushed back screaming, saying a man holding a gun had threatened to shoot at her,” Mr Sila, who stays adjacent to the bar, says.

He adds: “I went out and found it was the OCS. I tried to calm him down but he could not listen and continued flashing the pistol to shoot.”

He called Migwani OCPD who with other officers visited the scene but found the officer had locked himself in his rented house.

They later broke into the house and arrested him.