Police officer fatally shoots colleague, injures another in altercation in bar in Gigiri  

A police officer attached to Parliament shot and killed his colleague in an altercation in a bar in Gigiri, Nairobi.

The assailant identified as Nahashon Kipkosgey Limo also shot and injured a second colleague in the Sunday March 9 drama, witnesses said.

The three were among a group in a bar at the Gigiri police lines when they disagreed at night.

Witnesses said the group was having food and drinks when the altercation broke out, leading to the shooting.

The deceased officer was identified as constable Eric Muga of Runda police station while Corporal Philip Kae who is attached to Judiciary is nursing abdomen wounds after being shot.

Witnesses said some of those present scampered for their safety before other colleagues arrived and disarmed the shooting officer of his Jericho pistol with 14 bullets.

He was detained in custody pending processing and arraignment. The injured one was shot in the stomach.

Police authorities termed the incident isolated and vowed justice for the victims.

Officials say such shooting incidents could be linked to mental issues that are prevalent in the service.

Last month, a police officer shot and killed a colleague in a similar confrontation outside a bar in Ruaraka area, Nairobi.

A Nairobi court on March 4 ordered the police officer arrested for the killing of his colleague be detained at Ruaraka police station for seven days pending completion of investigations.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations had through a miscellaneous application sought to detain Police Constable Kipkoech Tarus for 14 days.

Tarus, an officer attached to the VIP protection Unit at Safaricom is suspected to have murdered Raphael Kimuli Wambua who is attached to the Central Bank of Kenya.

Tarus allegedly shot and killed Wambua on February 21 using his pistol.

Wambua was walking home with his brother, Police Constable Erick Ngolania, when they were confronted by Tarus who shot the deceased.

Following the shooting, Tarus was reportedly subjected to mob justice by members of the public before being rescued by officers from Ruaraka Police Station.

Dozens of police officers have died as a result of suicide or killed many in a trend that is attributed to stress at work.

As part of efforts to address the trend, police authorities have launched counselling services and the National Police Service Commission has established a unit and staffed it to attend to their demanding situation.

The counselling unit will, among other things, evaluate, design and lead an outreach programme that helps prevent mental health and substance abuse

Officials say police are generally on the receiving end of all community problems.