Shock as officer shoots himself dead at AP Camp

A police officer in Maarani Sub-County in Kisii County on Thursday night shot himself dead in circumstances that have baffled his friends and colleagues.

The Nation learnt that Corporal Benard Ogembo, 32, who was in charge of an armoury at Kegogi AP post, looked disturbed, moments before he took his own life by shooting himself twice in the head.

Mr Ogembo had just received a letter of admission from Kisii University where he was to pursue a course in criminology and had been given study leave by his bosses.

Maarani Sub-County Administration Police Commander John Manyara said Ogembo started having bouts of hallucinations, moments before he shot himself.

Ogembo was in the company of his girlfriend at the Kegogi AP post living quarters.

NO SUICIDE NOTE

The woman told the police that he was fine the entire day but started hallucinating about his dead father at around 6pm.

“The woman says she tried to talk to him, soothe him and even prayed, but the hallucinations persisted. She got scared and left the house,” said Mr Manyara.

Ogembo shot himself thereafter using his G3 rifle. He did not leave behind a suicide note.

“It was the sound of gunshots that alerted neighbours that something terrible had happened,” he added.

Mr Manyara said he knew Ogembo personally and had even signed a letter for him to begin classes at the university.

“His classes were supposed to begin on Friday. It is a big puzzle to us as to why he chose to kill himself at a time like this,” he added.

Journalists from the Nation who visited the house found it had already been cleaned up.

The deceased’s girlfriend had returned but was too traumatised to talk about the incident.