A senior officer with the National Intelligence Service (NIS) was stoned to death after he shot and seriously wounded a pedestrian in Donholm, Nairobi on Sunday evening.
His colleague escaped with injuries after the attack by a mob that mistook the armed officers for criminals.
Their two licensed pistols were later recovered by police who visited the scene.
The deceased was identified as Tony Kimathi based at NIS headquarters in Nairobi. The officers had alighted from a Government car at Kisumu Ndogo area to control traffic.
CARRY WEAPON
Mr Kimathi reportedly drew out a pistol after one of the motorists defied his directions because he was in civilian clothes, a witness said.
The deceased was licensed to carry a weapon, police said.
His colleague joined him and also drew out his Gloak pistol. A mob that was building up there started to stone them thinking they were thugs, witnesses and police said.
Buruburu OCPD Richard Kerich said it was in the process that one of the victims shot and wounded a bystander in the thigh.
“The mob stoned him thinking he was a thief. It is a case of mistaken identity because they were in a GK vehicle and no thief can ride in such a car,” said Kerich.
Kimathi was rushed to Mama Lucy Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The other injured official was moved to undisclosed hospital where he was admitted in stable condition.
The body was later moved to the Buruburu police station where more than a dozen NIS officers visited to mourn him.
Mr Kerich advised against mob lynching terming it criminal. “Those caught over such incidents will face the law. They will face even murder charges because it is criminal,” he said.
Such cases have been on the rise in the city in what experts blame on police laxity and a sign of lack of proper policing.
Meanwhile, a suspected robber was lynched after a botched robbery in Kibera slums, Nairobi on Sunday night.
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The man was in the company of three others and had been attacking and robbing residents when an alarm was raised. The other suspects escaped on foot.
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