Five mourners shot in protests over death of nine-year-old girl

Residents of Scheme estate march in the streets of Kakamega Town yesterday to protest against alleged murder of a nine-year-old girl. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Five people are nursing bullet wounds after they were shot allegedly by police during protests over the death of a nine-year-old girl.

They were among mourners protesting the mysterious death of Sharleen Mwanzia, whose body was found in a tank in a suspect’s house.

The mourners yesterday engaged the police in running battles in Kakamega Town to push the police to apprehend the main suspect in the girl’s death.

Force their way

The residents of Scheme estate took the girl’s body around the town to demand justice before the five were shot as police battled to disperse the crowds. 

The residents picked the body from the county referral hospital mortuary, matched through the streets to the gate of the suspect’s home.

But the police could not allow them into the compound. Hell broke loose when the mourners attempted to force their way in.

The police lobbed teargas canisters and fired into the air to disperse them. Lugari MP Ayub Savula and his Lurambi counterpart Titus Khamala were among the mourners.

Last week, a rental flat belonging to the suspect’s uncle was vandalised and his father’s house set on fire. 

They also carried an extra coffin, as they chanted that they would avenge the girl’s death.

However, the police thwarted their attempts by hurling tear gas canisters at them.

They in turn retaliated by throwing stones at the law enforcers. One of the officers, who was driving a police car, is nursing serious injuries after he was beaten up.

The police responded to the attack on their colleague by opening fire on the mourners.  

Elisha Makuba, one of the protesters, sustained injuries in the face after a tear gas canister exploded on him.

“The police hurled a tear gas canister at me but I got it before it exploded. I was attempting to throw it back to the officers’ car when it exploded on my face,” said Mr Makuba.

County police boss Johana Tunoi said only three people were injured in the fracas.

“We cannot allow rioters to destroy public property. Some were injured in a stampede, they were not shot,” Tunoi said.