NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 10 – A General Service Unit (GSU) officer shot and killed his boss in Mombasa on Thursday morning before turning the gun on himself.
The officer, a Constable, is said to have picked up an argument with his boss who is an Inspector before he cocked his gun and shot him 14 times, according to police.
“Those who witnessed the incident have told us that there was an argument between the two officers, and that is when the constable shot at his senior 14 times, killing him instantly,” a senior police officer in Mombasa said.
“The officer later shot himself.”
“Another officer who was standing nearby was also injured and is now admitted to the Coast General Hospital. He sustained a gun shot wound on the thigh,” a senior officer in Mombasa told Capital News.
The incident occurred at about 7am at the main GSU camp which is less than 200 meters from State House in Mombasa.
The officers involved in the shooting are part of a team assigned to guard State House in Mombasa.
Coast Provincial Police chief Aggrey Adoli declined to comment on the matter, only saying “an investigation has been launched into the circumstances of that shooting.”
He said circumstances of the shooting were still unclear and “will only be determined once all the witnesses record statements”.
Another senior officer who asked not to be named said the argument between the two officers started after the senior officer demanded to know why his junior had reported to work while drunk.
“That is when the junior officer cocked his G3 rifle and shot at his boss several times, he then turned the gun on his head before any action could be taken against him,” the officer said.
Other reports indicated that the argument occurred after the inspector refused to grant the junior officer days off to travel upcountry, sparking a major confrontation.
It is understood the Inspector was armed with a pistol at the time of the attack but could not manage to reach it in the holster.
GSU Commandant in-charge of Coast region Disehu Chemoi told Capital News an investigation into the incident was underway.
Incidents of police officers killing their colleagues are common in Kenya.
On November 7, 2010, an Administration Police officer attached to the Mbeere North District Commissioner’s residence went berserk, killing ten people—including two of his colleagues.
The officer shot and killed two colleagues in a bar, before running amok in another bar nearby, killing eight civilians, Administration Police Commandant Kinuthia Mbugua said at the time.
The officer was guarding the District Commissioner’s residence at about 1am when he erupted into a jealous rage after being told his girlfriend was drinking with his colleagues in a nearby bar.
“That is when he excused himself and lied to his colleagues that he was going for a short call, only to go to the bar where he had been told his girlfriend was,” Mbeere North DC John Chelimo said.
“He then proceeded to a neighbouring bar and shot indiscriminately at people who had rushed out to see what was happening but his girlfriend was able to escape,” Mr Chelimo added.
Soon after the incident, Internal Security Minister Professor George Saitoti announced that all police officers exposed to handling firearms would be subjected to a rigorous mental check up to ensure they are suitable to avoid such scenarios.
Little has been heard of this exercise since then.
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