Licence to kill: Did Kobia misuse gun?

 

Police are worried over frequent cases of licensed firearm holders abusing the privilege .

This has raised concern over the vetting process before applicants are issued with licences and firearms, even though there have been cases where some of the gun owners have helped in arresting criminals.

But what is worrying is the increased cases of guns being used for intimidation, with some incidents turning tragic. A recent case is the shooting dead of a suspected thief, identified as John Wanjohi Mugwanja, by controversial businessman Paul Kobia.

Wanjohi was shot dead at night on July 15 on Limuru Road after he and other suspected gang members allegedly snatched Kobia’s mobile phone.

The case took a new twist following suspicions that Wanjohi was shot on the head and chest at close range by Kobia, who did not deny shooting the deceased.

Gigiri DCIO Danny Kandie said an autopsy will solve the puzzle, but added that Wanjohi had committed a felony which was partially witnessed by a senior GSU marksman who was also stuck in the jam after attending a shooting session.

A postmortem was done on Wanjohi’s body on July 24, alongside that of Peter Owino Odhiambo, a robbery suspect shot dead by police near Roasters on Thika Superhighway. Both bodies were not immediately claimed.

The shooting involving Kobia came barely a month after Fredrick Mwangi, a senior manager with ICEA Lion Group, shot dead Francis Ambudo, a mechanic, on the night of June 28 on Naivasha Road in Dagoretti.

Mwangi, who is licensed to carry a firearm, told police he fired at “carjackers,” who had used their vehicle to block his way and feared they would rob and harm him.

A moratorium was in May 2013 placed on gun licensing before being lifted this year in May.

The suspension was to pave way for an audit at the Central Firearms Bureau, following complaints of abuse of application procedures at the agency due to corruption and interference by powerful individuals.

The moratorium was sanctioned by Inspector General David Kimaiyo.