Details have emerged about what drove Londiani Officer Commanding Police Station (OCS) to shoot and critically injure a magistrate at the Makadara Law Court before being slain by his comrades.
Chief Inspector Samson Kipchirchir Kipruto was shot and killed by his colleagues in the court on Thursday afternoon, shortly after he attacked and wounded senior magistrate Monica Kivuti.
He had traveled from his work station in Londiani, Kericho, to attend a court case in which his unwell wife, Jenniffer Wairimu was charged.
This is a case of acquiring money under false pretenses worth Sh2.9 million. The woman supposedly asked to be released on cash bail, but the magistrate denied her request.
This is after she skipped court hearings due to illness.
When she appeared on Thursday, her bail terms were revoked, and the magistrate ordered her imprisoned at the Langata Women’s Prison.
According to authorities, Kipruto became enraged and slipped into the court through the magistrate’s door, shooting Kivuti in the chest and left hip.
His colleagues, who were present, fired at the senior officer, killing him in the tent that serves as a court.
Three additional officers were also injured during the incident.
One was hit in the left eye, another in the left leg, and a third in the left hand. All of the injured were brought to the hospital in stable condition.
According to officials, the murdered officer’s jericho weapon was seized at the scene. Nairobi police chief Adamson Bungei said the injured were stable in the hospital.
The judiciary expressed sadness and astonishment following the shooting.
Chief Registrar Winfrida Mokaya stated that during an open court session, the Magistrate terminated the bond of an accused individual who had jumped bond and failed to provide adequate explanations for doing so.
“Immediately this decision was pronounced, a person shot at the Magistrate and injured her on the hip. Police Officers in the scene responded and neutralized the shooter, and the Magistrate was rushed to hospital for treatment,” she said.
