An Independent Electoral and Bounderies Commission (IEBC) official in Kilifi County has been killed in an attack at her home in Mombasa.
Aisha Abubakar, who sources say was recently appointed as Acting North Coast Regional Election Manager, died while her 18-year-old son seriously injured after two armed men broke into her house in Utange, Kisauni Sub-County at 3am.
The home of Aisha Abubakar in Utange, Mombasa.
Photo credit: Kevin Mutai | Nation Media Group
According to police, preliminary reports indicate that the two, one of them masked, were armed with a crowbar and a knife.
They accessed the house through the kitchen and Ms Abubakar’s son was injured when he went to rescue her.
“We are coordinating with the family and also condole them over this tragedy. At this juncture, we are pursuing several leads, and it seems to be a mission targeted specifically on the victims for reasons yet to be established,” Mombasa County Police Commander Peter Kimani said.
Mr Kimani added that the matter was being investigated by homicide detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) together with the Bamburi Police Station police chief.
The deceased’s family disclosed that Ms Abubakar’s son was admitted to hospital after sustaining serious head injuries.
Mr Fuad Said, a relative, told Nation.Africa that the robbers, who gained entry into the compound by jumping over the fence, broke into a safe and took away some IEBC documents.
They also stole a TV set, her phone and other household items.
“They have killed her and we don’t know the motive. We urge the police to carry out investigations and apprehend the suspects,” he said.
An IEBC official in Kilifi who requested anonymity for lacking authority to comment on the matter, said Ms Abubakar’s appointment letter had been sent to the office in December (last month).
“I received it but she had not collected it. I spoke to her yesterday and she was to come for it,” said the source.
Prior to this appointment, she had served in other different capacities, including as coordinator in Magarini Constituency.
The incident comes in the wake of security concerns among residents in Mombasa especially parts of Kisauni, Likoni, Nyali and Mvita Sub-Counties.
In October last year, a foreign national from the same area of Utange was killed in a similar manner inside his home.
John Middleton, a Briton who had settled in the area for over 15 years, was found dead in a bathtub by his house cleaner.
Police found a machete, which was believed to have been used to commit the murder.
In this incident, police and neighbours said there were indications that the attackers scaled the perimeter wall to gain entry into the house.
