Senior cop surrenders after shooting, injuring wife in domestic quarrel in Ainabkoi, Uasin Gishu

A senior police officer surrendered to authorities after he had shot and wounded his wife at their home in Ainabkoi, Uasin Gishu county.

The officer of the rank of inspector is said to have shot and wounded the wife early Monday, at Corner Ndogo area, following an altercation.

He is a deputy Subcounty Criminal Investigations Officer in one of the stations in Rift Valley, officials said.

It is not clear what triggered the quarrel and subsequent shooting.

He had travelled from his workstation to the area for the weekend when the incident happened.

The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the left cheek and was rushed to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) where she is currently in stable condition.

The officer later presented himself at Eldoret Police Station, where he was disarmed of his DUMA pistol loaded with 14 rounds of 9mm ammunition and placed in custody.

Police said they had established that their senior colleague arrived at his compound on a motorbike at around 11 pm on Saturday, and immediately, commotion ensued following domestic issues.

This led to the shooting, which happened almost two hours later.

 After the incident, the officer left the compound using the same motorbike, police said.

A team that responded to the scene was informed that the home belonged to the officer.

They called him, and he informed them he was at the Eldoret police station, surrendering and making an entry.

Police said they are investigating the incident.

Other colleagues said they suspect the incident is linked to the growing trend of trauma among many officers in the service.

Elsewhere in Loyangalan, Marsabit county, a man identified as Lokete Emurwa, 25, was shot and killed by gunmen in a robbery of livestock.

The assailants escaped with an unknown number of animals in the October 13 incident, police said.

A team was sent to the area, which is about 120 kilometres away from where police were to pursue the attackers and recover the animals.

This is the latest such attacks amid ongoing operations targeting banditry.

The area is among those under Operation Maliza Uhalifu aimed at dealing with bandits.

The operation has managed to contain crime in the area and other counties amid persistence.

The operation targets Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, Marsabit, Meru and Isiolo counties.

Besides retributive reaction, strategic investment and sustainable development have also taken a prominent place among the government’s planned crime control interventions for Kenya’s Northern frontier and the Kerio Valley belt.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the long-term vision is to empower the communities to actively take part in the war against animal rustling and undertake legitimate nation-building activities.

He said plans to distribute subsidised agricultural inputs and extension services to area residents in a bid to revive farming activities as a source of livelihood.

Murkomen ordered fresh vetting for all National Police Reservists (NPRs) as part of efforts to bolster the operations.