By standard reporter
NAIROBI, KENYA: Nairobi County Deputy Police Commander Moses Ombati cheated death after a terrorist’s gun jammed as he aimed at him during the Westgate Mall attack.
“I hit him after we clashed face to face and his gun jammed. Unfortunately, he died in hospital but I am happy we saved many lives,” he said.
And as he fell, Ombati’s colleagues, who were giving him cover, followed, pumping bullets into the terrorist’s legs.
“Their aim of course was to disable him and talk to him later,” added Ombati.
The terrorist was rushed to Aga Khan Hospital where he succumbed to injuries.
Ombati was among at least 10 officers who were the first to engage in crossfire with the terrorists at the mall. Some ventured into the mall without bullet-proof vests.
The team had saved more than 500 hostages before they faced a barrage of fire.
Ombati added that before the terrorist was shot, he had injured a chief inspector of police who was among the first to arrive on the upper floors to free those being held there.
The terrorist carried a rifle and hid behind a pillar, engaging police as they moved up to free more hostages.
“We had to move in groups to cover each other and on arrival on the upper floor of Nakumatt Supermarket ready to come down, we heard gunshots only to realise Lelei had been hit in the leg,” he said of Lower Kabete police chief Stephen Lelei who was among those in the operation.
It was at the point that they were ordering other hostages to leave that he faced the terrorist who was ready to attack.
The officers outside were busy trying to protect the crowds from flying bullets that were being fired by the terrorists from the rooftop.
A team of officers from the Flying Squad, Special Crimes Unit, Administration Police, a number of licensed gun holders, a G4S guard and a foreign officer were on the floor where the terrorist was shot.
A few minutes later, officers from the Recce Squad arrived through the parking yard and managed to free several more hostages.
“I think the terrorists spotted the team that arrived heavily armed and protected, and retreated into the supermarket,” said Ombati.
Together with the Recce Squad, the officers managed to push the terrorists into the supermarket and a bank. This was after a teargas canister was fired at them.
Almost an hour later, another team from the military arrived. Their arrival posed a risk to the other officers because they did not know each other.
Other officers involved in the operation said military personnel were not informed that there were already police officers, both uniformed and plainclothed, at the scene.
“In the confusion, we were at one stage shooting at each other and there were casualties because we did not know who was who. There were terrorists in combat gear and this confused some of us,” said another officer who was involved in the counter-attack.
The clash slowed down the operation for several minutes as the officers retreated to restrategise.
For Ombati, a trained General Service Unit Commando, Saturday’s incident was all in the line of duty even as he commended fellow officers for their courage under fire.
He was off-duty with his family the day he received several calls from his superiors about the attack.
