Police gun down Al-Shabaab terror suspect at his hideout in Kwale county

By Tobias Chanji

Kwale, Kenya: Police in Diani Town of Kwale County on Friday morning gunned down an Al-Shabaab terror suspect they believe has been behind a spate of criminal activities together with his other accomplices who are still at large.

Security authorities allege he recently returned to Kenya from military training with Al Shabaab in Somalia.  He was killed after opening fire on police after rejecting orders to surrender.

Police recovered a Berreta pistol loaded with three unused ammunitions.

The 42 year old Rashid Tumbo Kufungwa was gunned down at his hide out house in Tiwi area. According to Msambweni OCPD Joseph Omijah, the deceased was the owner of a G3 gun that was recovered on Sunday by police at Kibundani area. The same gun was stolen at Emali’s AP camp several years back.

“The deceased has been in the team of Somali returnees who have been terrorizing residents alongside Diani-Likoni road then retreat back to their hide out in Tiwi,” said the Ocpd.

Omijah told the Standard that police acted on a tip of from the members of public of where criminals were hiding and immediately with a combined team of police officers raided the house of Kufungwa at around 4.30 am.

 “A part from the pistol and ammunition, nothing else was recovered. The body is at Msambweni mortuary awaiting postmortem,” stated the police boss.

Omijah was categorical that the war on terror and other crimes was on and warned criminals to either surrender or face death.

“We urge criminals to either surrender and take advantage of the amnesty given by the president to return illegal arms and desist from criminal activities or we will go for them without kind words,” warned the OCPD.

He assured the public that police will continue to pursue other criminals that are still at large and that the war was now on.