•The two quarrelled frequently on suspicion of infidelity at Navakholo market
•Five people were injured when police and residents engaged in running battles
Image: /FILE
Police are hunting for an Administration Police officer for allegedly killing his wife in Navakholo subcounty on Thursday night.
He is also said to have tried to shoot their three-year-old daughter.
According to police, AP Patrick Nyapara left his place of work, went home and shot Catherine Maonga dead in their rented house. Maonga was a teacher at Navakholo Secondary School.
A neighbour, who declined to be named, told the Star the officer has been suspecting his wife was having extramarital affairs. The couple had frequent quarrels.
At least five people were injured when police and residents, who were protesting the killing, engaged in running battles for the better part of the night.
But Navakholo police boss Jacob Chelimo on Friday denied that anybody was injured.
“The officer signed for a pistol with seven rounds of ammunition and we only recovered two in the magazine, meaning he used five,” he said.
Nyapara had been assigned to guard the Navakholo IEBC offices at 6pm. He returned home at 6.30pm with a pistol and opened fire at Maonga, who was doing laundry in their rented house.
The couple has a three-year-old daughter. Neighbours said the officer tried to shoot their daughter, but was restrained by residents.
Josphat Olengo said he heard gunshots only to later learn the officer had killed his wife. He said the couple had earlier quarrelled and he intervened before the officer left the house. Olengo said the relationship between the two had been turbulent. “They are ever quarrelling,” he said.
Stephen Nyongesa claimed the officer was fond of threatening neighbours with a gun. “He even attempted to shoot a neighbour sometimes back, but she escaped."
Chelimo said the officer was seen in Mumias town on Thursday night and he could be headed to Uganda.