Naivasha labourer shot by police in unclear circumstances

A doctor attends to 33-year-old Josphat Gwandaru who was shot in the thigh by police in Kamere centre in Naivasha in unclear circumstances. Police claim he wanted to grab their gun but the victim denied this saying that he was in a bar with his colleagues when the incident occurred. (PHOTO: ANTONY GITONGA/ STANDARD)

A man has been shot by police in South Lake Naivasha in unclear circumstances.

Josphat Gwandaru, a casual labourer, had his left leg shattered by a bullet during the incident in Kamere trading centre along the Moi South Lake road.

There were conflicting statements about the shooting. A policeman who declined to be named insisted Mr Gwandaru wanted to grab a gun from another policeman during an arrest.

"Police had been tipped about a group of suspicious men in the centre and on confronting them, one of the suspects went for the gun and was accidentally shot in the thigh," said the policeman.

He added that four suspects were arrested in the incident as the injured man was taken to Naivasha Sub-county Hospital.

But the victim denied the claims, saying they were playing poker in a bar when armed police came in and ordered them to surrender. He said a commotion ensued.

"In the process, some of my colleagues started running from the bar and I followed them but one of the policemen shot me without any provocation," Gwandaru said.

Naivasha Sub-county Hospital Superintendent Joseph Mburu said the bullet had fractured the patient's left hip. He said they were making plans to transfer him to Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital for specialised treatment.

Special surgery

"The bullet is still lodged in the leg and he requires special surgery so that the shattered hip bone can be repaired," he said.

Meanwhile, transport along the busy Naivasha-Mai Mahiu road was paralysed for over two hours following an accident involving two trucks and a personal car near Musaka Road.

The driver of the personal car was seriously injured while occupants of the two trailers escaped with minor injuries. Simon Kimani, a witness, said the speeding personal car hit an oncoming trailer before ramming into the other trailer.

"In the process, the two trailers, which were heading towards Nakuru from Mai Mahiu, veered off the road and crashed," he said.