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Officer dead, two injured in brazen attack on Kakamega police station
Police yellow tape at a crime scene.
Police in Kakamega are hunting for a group of armed men who attacked the Nyalenya Police Station in Mumias West, Kakamega County, killing an officer and injuring two others.
A police officer’s spouse was also injured and is fighting for her life in a hospital in Bungoma County.
During the brazen attack, the gang made away with two G3 rifles, each loaded with several rounds of ammunition.
Police sources say the attackers arrived at the police station on two motorcycles and claimed they had come to report a stolen motorbike, only to launch the deadly assault.
"The unknown assailants entered the station seeking help, but began attacking the officers, leaving them with serious injuries," informed the police source.
A search for the missing rifles is ongoing, and the motive behind the attack is yet to be established.
Senior police officers from Kakamega County, however, requested more time before addressing the press as investigations continue.
The family of the late officer Richard Utolo, 58, is still coming to terms with the loss of their kin.
His brother, Gabriel Utolo, recounted how they received the news of Richard's killing on Friday night.
"They attacked him, he died while being rushed to a hospital in Bungoma at night. He was like our father, being the eldest among us men," said Gabriel, adding that his brother was shot by the attackers.
He continued, "We want justice and would like to understand the motive behind the attack. If officers who are supposed to ensure our security are attacked and killed, what about us, the public? We want to know why our brother was killed in such a brutal manner."
Gabriel mentioned that his brother had served for over 30 years in the security sector and had only two years left to his retirement.
According to village elder Ms Dorcas Mihenda, "We heard a loud bang and thought it was a transformer that had exploded, only to later discover that police officers had been attacked. We are calling on the Interior Security Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, to ensure officers located in remote areas are secure."
Community policing member Mr Akoth Adundo stated that there is a need to increase security at all police stations, especially those in rural areas.
Mr Akoth emphasised that such stations require more officers, power connectivity, and security cameras.
He explained how difficult it was to access the station, noting that the area has a history of high crime rates, which necessitated the construction of the police station.
"This station was established after armed robbers attacked my homestead and killed my wife. If we cannot provide information to security officers, we bear the blame as members of the public. Our officers need to be well-armed with pistols, which are easier to operate. We recently lost a university lecturer," said Mr Akoth.
Ms Millicent Atieno, a resident, said that the Friday incident had left them in shock.
"We suspect the attackers are not from this area. They must have done proper research before the attack," she said.
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