A police constable suspected of shooting and killing a colleague in Kakamega on Thursday evening has been arrested.
The suspect identified as constable Philip Wahome Muthondio is said to have shot Philemon Koech Samoei in his house at the Milimani estate.
Muthondio is alleged to have then reported to his night assignment in town.
He was arrested at Khetias Supermarket in Kakamega town where he had been assigned to guard together with other officers. He was attached to the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit.
Samoei was shot from the left side and the bullet exited on the right chin.
Police reports said his body was found lying face down while holding his AK-47 rifle loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition.
Bloodstained desert boots were recovered from the suspect.
Neighbours said they had seen an APS officer armed with an AK-47 rifle hurriedly leave the scene after they heard a gunshot in the compound.
The officer lived in a servant quarter in government houses in Milimani estate, less than a kilometre from the Kakamega police station.
“Police managed to arrest the suspect and recovered a weapon. He is in custody waiting to be arraigned for murder,” Kakamega county police commander Bernard Muli said.
He said that the motive of the murder had not been established, adding the suspect had been very close friends with the dead cop.
Colleagues of the suspect said that he looked distraught and was unsettled on the assignment.
“These two officers always worked together and it is unclear what may have happened,” an officer privy to the investigations said.
The suspect was set to appear in court yesterday but police said they would ask for more time to hold him to complete the investigations.
(edited by O. Owino)
