Police Officer charged as gunshot victim dies

A police officer attached to Laisamis Police Station has appeared before a Marsabit court for assaulting two people using his official rifle.

This comes on the day one of the people allegedly shot and critically injured by the policeman in the area died in a hospital in Meru.

Constable Benson Kabugu was charged with assault and causing grievous bodily harm to his victims in Laisamis last Saturday.

He appeared before Principal Magistrate Boaz Ombewa and was accused of shooting and inflicting grievous bodily harm on Ramatu Letelwa and Kore Lewagat on September 13 in Laisamis township, Marsabit County.

Ramatu succumbed to his injuries at Ruiru Mission Hospital on Monday at around noon.

State counsel Alex Akula asked the court to detain the accused at the police station, arguing that granting him bail would lead to interference with ongoing investigations.

Mr Akula also noted that one of the complainants was admitted in Ruirii Hospital in Meru County with critical bullet injuries and the prosecution was likely to prefer more charges against the accused.

The magistrate ordered the accused, who had earlier denied both charges, remanded until September 22 when the case will come up for mention.

BODY COLLECTED

The constable is alleged to have shot and injured Lewagat in the head and Salio Lerapo in the left leg.Ramatu, a high school graduate, sustained wounds in the stomach.

Two others, Kiboran Ibalanga alias Mama Chapo, 50, and 27-year-old Lerato Taraya, a moran herdsman, both sustained leg injuries.

Yesterday, Marsabit Senator Abubakar Hargura said a postmortem examination was carried out on Tuesday and Ramatu's body collected for burial in Laisamis.

The senator said Lerapo and Ibalanga had surgery at the same hospital to remove bullets lodged in their bodies on Monday.

The Marsabit South security committee led by Deputy County Commissioner Mutuku Mwenga and Marsabit County Commander Bernard Kogo have since met with Deputy Governor Abdi Ali, Laisamis MP Joseph Lekuton, Laisamis Member of County Assembly Mohamud Kochale, village elders and moran representatives to address the issue.

Mr Hargura said the day-long meeting discussed the conduct of police officers in Laisamis, the conduct of the morans and general peaceful co-existence among the residents, including traders.

"The morans said they attacked the traders out of anger and expressed remorse and agreed to keep the peace. We are going to have another round of meeting with all the stakeholders," Hagura added.