APs storm police station to protest killing of colleague

 Administration Police officer Wycliffe Ndiga was stationed in Koibatek, Baringo
County. He was killed by police in Kisumu for an alleged robbery at Tuffoam Mattresses on Saturday. [Photo: File

Kisumu, Kenya: Armed Administration Police officers stormed Kisumu Central Police Station to protest the killing of  their colleague at the weekend.

An AP officer attached to Baringo County and a civilian had been shot dead in Kisumu’s Manyatta A Estate after a robbery at a shop in which more than Sh400,000 was allegedly robbed.

They were part of a group of three suspects that were trailed for more than two hours after they allegedly robbed Tuffoam Mattress employees of Sh400,000.

According to Nyanza Regional Police Co-ordinator Charles Narangwi, the robbers escaped in a car whose registration number was circulated amongst officers in the area after the Saturday night incident.

Police on patrol confronted the three as they alighted from the vehicle, prompting a shootout that left the two dead.

“They had weapons at the time they were challenged to surrender. One of them was carrying a bag that contained the stolen property and it is unfortunate he is a serving police officer,” said Narangwi.

But APs stationed in the area suspected foul play on learning of the incident.

Witnesses said a group of armed APs stormed Central Police Station in the night demanding an explanation.

The APs accused their CID counterparts, who had shot their colleague, of being trigger-happy and threatened to revenge.

This prompted the officers who were on duty to call their seniors to solve the standoff.

On realising the alarm had been raised, the APs are said to have driven off without shooting.

Narangwi confirmed the standoff saying it was being resolved by his seniors.

“It doesn’t matter who is involved in a crime. A criminal is a criminal and whatever happened was regrettable,” he said.

Narangwe said they are investigating the incident with a view of taking further action on whoever was involved in the drama.

 

He said the officers involved in the shooting recovered an Uzi rifle, five rounds of ammunition, a pair of handcuffs, rifle cleaning oil and assorted police uniform including two berets, jungle jackets, two pairs of trousers and an Angola shirt and a full combat army uniform.

AP Spokesman Masood Mwinyi termed the incident unfortunate and said investigations were going on.

“Relevant authorities are investigating the incident. Let us wait for the outcome,” he said.

The slain AP officer had police identification documents whose details matched those on his national ID, identifying him as Wycliffe O. Ndiga, police said.

He was stationed in Koibatek, Baringo County, and was off-duty on permission to attend a funeral in Kisumu East, according to documents found on him.

 BAD BLOOD

The incident brought to the fore the underlying bad blood between the AP and regular police in administration and operational matters.

Each arm feels superior to the other, which has compromised operations at large.

Matters have worsened with the current scenario in which police authorities have sent separate  commanders for the AP, regular police and CID to the counties thereby affecting the issue of command and order.

Yesterday, the Vice Chairman of Parliament’s Administration and National Security Committee (Departmental) Alois Lentoimaga said the issue of having more than one commander in a county is partly to blame for insecurity in some areas.

He said there must be one overall commander in every county to address the issue of command and order.

“We have raised the issue at our committees with the relevant agencies and we hope they are addressing it. As a former DO, I know there must be an overall commander for all agencies in each county,” said Lentoimaga.

In the Kisumu drama, Narangwi said they are trying to establish if the slain officer and civilian were behind another robbery that was committed last week.

Last week, a senior AP officer based in Maralal and a retired teacher were victims of robbery in which they lost over Sh800,000 at gun-point separately.

The officer, who was on leave, had withdrawn Sh250,000 from a bank in the town to purchase land when he was robbed.

He was however puzzled when he visited the Regional Police Headquarters in Kisumu where he alleges that he identified one of the people who had robbed him.

 

Over five cases of police involvement in criminal activities have been reported in the last two months in the area.

On September 5, Samuel Abuya, a retired teacher, withdrew Sh400,000 at Equity Bank on Ang’awa Street but was robbed as he boarded a matatu to Mamboleo.

Kisumu City Residents Voice Association Chair Audi Ogada has repeatedly called for transfer of both junior and senior officers who have overstayed in Kisumu.

Ogada argued that these incidents have now confirmed the fears of Kisumu residents that some police are involved in crime.

He alleged that transfers have not been successful as officers are always taken away for few months and then redeployed to the same station or neighbouring stations having been promoted.