Cop fatally shoots two bodaboda riders in rage after accident in Thika
A police officers dramatically shot and killed two bodaboda riders in a confrontation near Makongeni police station in Thika Town following a road accident.
Police said the shooting incident stemmed from an accident involving a rider and a pillion passenger in the area.
The two riders were among a group that had pursued the police officer who was involved in the accident near the local police station on Sunday morning when the drama started.
Police and witnesses said the police officer attached to the local DCI office had knocked down a rider and pillion passenger in what police termed as non injury accident.
He blamed the rider for making a wrong move.
He then drove off thinking he had solved the standoff.
Other riders who felt he was on the wrong and he needed to stay at the scene pursued him few meters ahead and stopped him.
Witnesses said the officer felt threatened and feared the group was out to harm him. It was then he came out of his car armed and opened fire killing two of the riders in the confrontation.
They died on the spot as other riders sped off the scene.
They regrouped and came back to the scene in large numbers before they started to hurl objects at the officer.
He withdrew from the car allowing the group to set it on fire.
Police responded to the scene but could not help much. The Audi salon car was burnt to ashes.
Police later disarmed their colleague who was involved in tue shooting and detained him at the station pending a probe.
In the meantime, other riders staged a protest demanding justice.
The police said they are investigating the incident.
Police urged bodaboda riders not to take the law to their arms.
Last week, a group of riders set a bus on fire on Thika Road near Juja town after it was involved in an accident with bodaboda rider.
The rider died on the spot prompting the other riders to pursue and set the bus on fire. This was after the passengers on board the Super Metro bus had alighted safely.
A similar incident happened last month in Donholm area in Nairobi where a bus was set on fire after an accident involving a rider.
Police say they are focusing on the riders behind the trend for justice.
They want the riders to avoid such hooliganism and allow the law to follow its course.