Female police officer shot dead by lover after argument

Dennis Tarus

December 5, 2016 6:14 AM

The officer identified as Collins Wafula of Marimanti Police station is reported to have opened fire on Grace Opiyo who was also a police officer at the same station after a brief argument at the station around 10pm.

Kenyan police officers hold their position during the deadly shooting at the Kapenguria police station in July. A police officer over the weekend shot dead his female colleague at Marimanti Police Station, Tharaka Nithi County.

A police officer over the weekend shot dead his female colleague at Marimanti Police Station, Tharaka Nithi County.

Tharaka Nithi South Police chief Dominic Mukoma told journalists that the two had been living as a couple.

Mukoma told the Nation that the deceased was shot on the thigh and pronounced dead on arrival at Gatunga Mission Hospital.

"She found the the officer at the reporting office and after a brief argument on what appeared to be domestic quarrel, he picked his fire arm and shot her on the right thigh. The two are believed to be lovers,” said Mr Mukoma.

He said according to doctors, the deceased succumbed to the injuries because of excess bleeding.

Cohabiting couple

Mr Mukoma said Mr Wafula was arrested and is being held at the same station as investigations continue, while the body of the deceased was taken to Chuka County Referral Hospital.

“We are investigating to find out what happened because these are people who were cohabiting,” he said.

The accused is set to be arraigned in Marimanti Law Court on Monday.

Cases of police officers shooting each other have been on the increase in recent months.Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet is yet to make public a report from an inquiry set up to investigate causes of police shootings involving colleagues.

In July, a disgruntled Kenyan policeman who shot dead six of his colleagues has been killed in a shootout after an eight-hour siege.

Dennis Tarus