Activist Omtatah wounded in night attack

By Cyrus Ombati

Police are investigating an incident in which activist Okiya Omtatah was Thursday night attacked and seriously wounded in the head by unknown assailants along Kenyatta Avenue, Nairobi.

Omtatah sustained serious cuts on his head and lost four teeth after the attack by people he said mentioned the BVR kits that he is opposed to as they attacked him.

The attackers later escaped on foot and left him for dead outside I&M Building where he had alighted from a matatu.

He told The Standard from his hospital bed the attackers said they were not happy with his opposition to the importation of the BVR kits.

“Their intention was to kill me but I heard them mention this thing of BVR kits,” said Omtatah in pain.

 Omtatah was first rushed to Nairobi Outpatient Hospital along Muindi Bingu Street in the city before he was transferred to Matter where he is admitted.

He received stitches on his head following the 8 pm incident. The attackers are said to have escaped on foot.

Police say they are yet to know the motive of the attack but suspect the issue of BVR kits could be behind it.

On Thursday, Omtatah was in court where he challenging the importation of the kits.

Central OCPD Robinson Mboloi said they are investigating the incident with an intention of arresting the attackers and establishing the motive.

Meanwhile, three suspected thugs were Thursday night shot dead moments after they had attacked a gym along Mombasa Road in Nairobi and robbed patrons of their valuables and cash.

The deceased were part of a six man gang that had raided the gym near Olesereni Hotel and robbed those there of their clothes, cash and other valuables.

And as they were leaving aboard two motorbikes, a team of administration police who were on patrol shot and killed the three while three others managed to escape.

Police say they recovered part of the property that had been stolen from the people who were in the gym and the motorbike they were using.

Police say they are also looking for the other members who managed to escape.

Also, a night guard was shot dead in an attempted robbery in a house in Nairobi’s South C area.

The guard was on duty last night when a gang of four raided the home and tried to gain entry into the house.

Police say the thugs shot the guard at close range after realizing he had detected them and later escaped without stealing anything from him.

No arrest has been made so far but police say they are looking for the suspects.