The police officer was leading a team to arrest the suspect who had allegedly chopped off a neighbour's hand. [iStockphoto]

A police officer is fighting for his life at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital after a suspect he had gone to arrest attacked him with a jembe.

The suspect is also nursing wounds after the officer shot him in defense.

According to Masaba North Sub-County Deputy Police Commander Hassan Bashir, the police officer of the rank of Senior Sergeant was leading a team to arrest the suspect who had allegedly chopped off a neighbour's hand at his house in Gesima at around 4am.

Bashir said the youthful suspect who was identified as Anthony Rakamba has been in the hiding after committing the alleged crime and the police had gotten intelligence he had resurfaced when they went to arrest him.

"The police had woken him up and upon learning that the police were there to arrest him, he opened the door and attacked the officer with a hand hoe, inflicting a deep cut into his head. The officer also suffered a fractured arm," Bashir said.

He said the officer reacted by shooting at the victim to disable him before they arrested him.

"The officer and the suspect were rushed to Keroka Subcounty Hospital where they were given emergency treatment before they were transferred to KTRH," Bashir said.

However, Bashir said the two were in a stable condition.