Traffic cop dies after matatu driver knocks him down over license

A traffic officer died after a matatu driver knocked him down along the Southern Bypass at the Lang’ata underpass on Tuesday, January 28.

According to Lang’ata OCPD Gregory Mutiso, Officer Peter Lukote was ran over by Edward Njoroge, the matatu driver, after flagging him down.

Lukote is said to have signaled the driver to stop, and when he did, the officer asked Njoroge for his driving license.

It’s alleged that the driver refused to hand over his DL, and that is when the tussle began. Njoroge then put his gear on and ran over Lukote, who had accidentally slipped and fallen down.

“The officer met his death after being knocked down by a PSV motor vehicle a Toyota matatu of Aberdereline Sacco which he had flagged down at a road-block at Lang’ata underpass area along the Southern bypass,” read a statement by the police.

While attempting to flee, Njoroge was chased by a vehicle belonging to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), that had been parked near the accident scene.

The driver was arrested in Kikuyu and will be arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts on Thursday, January 30.

Officer Lukote was taken to the Nairobi West Hospital, where he succumbed to injuries. According to a post-mortem examination done at the Montezuma Monalisa Funeral Home, Lukote died from multiple injuries.