Senior police officer injured as mob pursues suspect in hospital

A senior police officer is nursing injuries after he was stoned by a mob in Migori County.

John Boyno, an Officer Commanding Station (OCS), was on Monday night injured when he led other officers to stop a crowd that had stormed Mother and Child Hospital in Kehancha town, Kuria West.

During the April 3 incident, a mob was baying for the blood of a suspected motorcycle thief admitted to the facility.

Kuria West Police Sub-County Commander Cleti Kimaiyo said the OCS was leading a team of 14 officers to calm the crowd, which was threatening to burn down the hospital.

Hell broke loose when the police evacuated the suspect through the roof and were taking him to the police station.

The mob started stoning the officers.

"They wanted to block the police from taking away the suspect. We engaged with the mob for close to 20 minutes," said Kimaiyo.

Police fired in the air and used teargas to disperse the mob. The OCS sustained an injury on his left ankle in the commotion.

"He was treated at the same facility and discharged and is in fair condition," Kimaiyo said.

Several windows at the hospital were smashed. An ambulance and a police vehicle also had their windscreens destroyed.