Five die as police clash with residents of Trans Nzoia

Irene Wekesa who was shot by police officers during confrontation between police and residents in Kolongolo area. She is admitted at Mt Elgon hospital in Kitale. [Osinde Obare, Standard]

A domestic squabble between wife and husband on Sunday resulted in the death of five people in the sleepy Kolongolo village of Trans Nzoia.

Six others, including County Speaker Joshua Werunga and two journalists, are nursing injuries sustained in the effects of the quarrel.

It all started when two officers from Kolongolo police patrol base in Kwanza constituency went to arrest a villager, Dan Juma, who was accused of assaulting his wife after the quarrel.

P3 form

Juma’s wife, Mertrine Shikuku, had secured a P3 form for the alleged assault and the officers arrived to arrest Juma.

Witness said the officers started to mishandle Juma after handcuffing him, prompting residents to intervene.

“Their conduct attracted protests from enraged residents and it was at this point that one of the officers pulled the trigger,” said Elphas Saanai, adding: “Soon, two people lay down, dead.”

The killing sparked protests from the residents, prompting the camp to call for reinforcement from Chepchoina General Service Unit (GSU).

There was a running battle as the residents blocked the officers from carrying away the bodies, fearing that they could tamper with evidence.

Violence escalated

“The violence escalated, police fired in the air several times as angry residents pelted them with stones,” said Mr Saanai.

It was during the melee that five people sustained bullet wounds. Three succumbed to the injuries while receiving treatment at Kitale referral hospital.

David Mulongo, who was shot on the right hand and left leg, said he had gone to Kolongolo shopping centre to watch a football match between Liverpool and Manchester United when a stray bullet hit him.

“I realised I had been wounded when blood started oozing from my hand and leg,” Mulongo said from his Mt Elgon Hospital bed, where he is recuperating.

Another victim, Irene Wekesa, was writhing in pain from wounds on her right leg when The Standard visited the hospital yesterday.

The County Speaker and journalists Peter Nyongesa (West FM) and Edwin Namasaka (Citizen Radio) were confronted and beaten up by the officers. The scribes said they were attacked by the officers despite identifying themselves.

“The officers became hostile when we introduced ourselves as journalists. They unleashed terror on us, but we escaped when the public restrained them,” said Mr Namasaka.

Trans Nzoia Governor Patrick Khaemba, Kwanza MP Ferdinand Wanyonyi and MCA Emmanuel Waswa visited the victims at the hospital and condemned the killings.

The leaders called the incident extra-judicial killing and demanded the arrest of the officers involved.

“It is unfortunate that the county has lost five lives to police brutality. We are asking why the officers used excessive force on unarmed residents,” said M r Khaemba. Mr Waswa alleged that some GSU officers took advantage of the situation to rape local women.

The leaders feared there could be a plot by police to cover up the killings and urged the Government to launch an inquiry into the matter.

Officer disarmed

County commissioner Erastus Mbui said one officer had been disarmed and arrested in connection with the incidence.

Police Inspector-General Joseph Boinnet absolved the officers of blame, saying the police shot only when their lives were in danger.

Independent Policing Oversight Authority chair Anne Makori, however, sent detectives yesterday to investigate the matter further.