Police officer killed in motorbike accident

Constable Christopher Kiplagat was crossing the highway near the Kakamega prison gate when a speeding cyclist hit him. [Courtesy]

A police constable died on Thursday after being hit by a motorbike along the Kakamega-Kisumu highway.

Christopher Kiplagat was crossing the highway near the Kakamega prison gate around 6:40am when a speeding cyclist hit him.

The victim was rushed to the County Referral Hospital for treatment only to be returned to the prison clinic since there were no medics at hand to attend to the victim urgently.

The officer was bleeding profusely and medical officers at the prison clinic were unable to contain it and they returned him to county referral hospital where he succumbed to injuries.

Henry Ochieng, the officer in charge of the prison regretted the death of his officer.

“We don’t want to speculate that the medical officers at the hospital neglected their duties, but we are waiting for the police to do their investigations” he told The Standard.

Police are holding the cyclist in the accident.  According to them, the suspect had borrowed the motorcycle from a friend.

“Once we are through with the investigations, it will be clear whether the owner of the motorcycle and the suspect will be charged and over what charges,” added Mr Ochieng.

The accident took place at the scene where another police officer was hit by a cyclist last Monday.

Edwin Sifuna who was crossing the road at the same spot, however, survived and is currently recuperating at home from injuries sustained.

The Prison administration has raised alarm over increasing cases of accidents at the said spot and Mr Ochieng' believe a footbridge would provide a lasting solution.

He accused cyclists of reckless riding even while carrying passengers along the busy highway.