Kiambu tea hawker shot in the leg ‘by police’

A tea hawker is seeking justice after she was shot by police in Thika town.

Alice Loko, 29, claimed she was shot in the thigh by a police officer on Saturday morning.

The mother of three told The Standard she was on her way home from work when the incident occurred at Majengo estate.

“I was being ferried home by a boda boda on Saturday at around 4am in the morning when some strangers stopped us. They shot at us when we declined to stop and one bullet hit me in the upper thigh,” Loko said.

After she was dropped home and upon getting some first aid, she sought the assistance of an estate elder, Martin Ndung’u, who took her to Thika police station to record a statement. It is while there that she overheard some police officers saying they had mistakenly shot a woman at Majengo while they were trailing some drug traffickers.

Her case was booked under OB NO 9/2/7/2016. She informed the police that she had been shot by unknown gunmen, who were in a private car.

She later went to Thika Level Five Hospital where the bullet was successfully removed and was discharged on Monday.

COVER-UP CLAIMS

The tea hawker said she fears for her life, adding that she was afraid justice would not prevail since the police were trying to cover up the shooting.

An official at the hospital who requested anonymity said police officers from Thika police station had been camping there.

“The police have been coming here every day demanding that we hand over the bullet that was removed from the woman’s leg to them. We have, however, refused and stuck to our guns since we do not know what their intentions are,” said the medical officer.

The woman urged hospital authorities not to hand over the bullet.

“It is good that the bullet is in my custody because it is my only evidence that it is indeed the police who shot me. I fear they might replace the bullet with another so that they can cover up the matter,” Loko said.

Thika Officer Commanding Police Division Erastus Muthamia termed the shooting as unfortunate, saying that police were waylaying drug traffickers, who usually conduct the illegal trade on motorcycles in the morning hours.

“The police were aiming at the motorcycle wheels but accidentally the bullet hit the lady. She was shot by mistake. There is no way the police would have aimed at eliminating her,” Mr Muthamia said.

He claimed the woman was part of the syndicate that was conducting the illegal trade in the town.