Ex-policeman shot dead by KDF officers

An ex-police officer was on Wednesday night shot dead in an army barrack in Gilgil during a botched robbery attempt.

Kenya Defence Forces officers manning the 5KA barracks near the town gunned down the officer and arrested an accomplice with whom they were vandalising signposts.

Three suspects were vandalising the sign posts in the barracks when the officers caught up with them. They tried to escape using a motorcycle.

The officers shot several times in the air, but the suspects ignored the warning, leading to a chase around the barracks located near the NYS training school.

Gilgil police boss John Onditi said that the three were challenged to stop but defied orders from the KDF officers.

"The officers first shot in the air, but the suspects defied this and in the process the ex-police officer was shot dead and one of his accomplices arrested and another escaped," he said.

He said that the former police officer was sacked due to indiscipline before turning into crime.

“We have been getting cases of vandalism daily and we suspect that the trio together with some metal scrap dealers are involved in this illegal trade,” he said.

Meanwhile, four people were injured in a road accident along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway. Two private cars collided near the Gilgil weighbridge. 

The motorist headed to Gilgil tried to overtake a fleet of trucks when he rammed onto an oncoming car at midday. 

Onditi said the victims were admitted to Gilgil Subcounty Hospital while the wrecks had been towed to the police station.