Police officers and demonstrators
Two police officers were on Saturday, April 30, evening beaten to death by an angry mob at Kanthanje market in Tharaka Nithi.
In Summary
- The Two Police officers were attached to Kathwana Police station in Tharaka Nithi
- Locals suspected the two officers to be thieves.
- Elsewhere two police officers attacked in Trans nzoia at a changaa den.
Speaking to News reporters, Tharaka Nithi Deputy County Commissioner Julius Arap Too said the officers who were not in uniform at the time of the attack, were mistaken to be thieves by locals.
According to Arap Too, the two officers had gone to arrest a mobile money shop attendant when, the shop attendant raised an alarm and a mob arrived a few minutes later.
“I can confirm that two people, reportedly police officers attached to Kathwana police station, have been killed by a mob at Kanthanje market.
“We are yet to confirm their identity. I have personally taken an injured civilian to St. Orsola Hospital in Materi,” he said.
Further, the mobile money shop attendant was also reported to have sustained head injuries suspected to be inflicted by a sharp object.
The shop attendant was rushed to hospital and immediately admitted and is currently undergoing treatment.
Area Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Joseph Muchiri stated that investigations were underway.
In a separate incident, two police officers were attacked by villagers during a raid at a chang’aa den in Trans Nzoia.
According to a statement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI)the team was closing in on a renowned brewer and her husband when the villagers responded to screams and descended on the officers.
“Her proficiency in brewing the most potent local brew is unparalleled and Bwake villagers were willing to pay the ultimate price in protecting her, as the officers would later learn,” the statement read in part.
The police were then forced to fire into the air to disperse the crowd.
