Police officers in Maragua, Murang’a County have shot and killed a 20-year-old man accused of defilement, robbery with violence and repeatedly escaping from remand.
On Monday, police received a distress call at around 9am that the suspect, identified as Andrew Makai, had raided a rental house in Boarder Estate while armed with a toy pistol and abducted a 12-year-old girl.
Murang'a South Sub-County Police Commander Alexander Shikondi confirmed that police responded to the distress call and caught up with the suspect as he forced the girl into an abandoned house.
"We challenged him to stop and release the girl but he drew the weapon from his waist and charged at the officers while aiming. Police officers fired at him to immobilise him and one bullet hit his lower mid-abdomen," he said.
Mr Shikondi said the impact of the 9mm calibre bullet hit Makai from a distance of 10 metres and brought him down.
Police retrieved two machetes and household items, believed to have been stolen, from the abandoned house.
Makai died as he received treatment at the Maragua Level Four Hospital and his body was moved to Murang'a County Mortuary for post-mortem.
Makai was on April 3, 2021 charged at the Kigumo Law Courts with three counts of defilement and remanded at Maragua Police Station. But he casually walked to his freedom without breaking any padlock or grill.
Together with robbery with violence suspect David Ndung’u Kung'u — who had earlier escaped from the same station but rearrested — they vanished at 9pm without detection by the two officers who were guarding them.
On Monday, Mr Shikondi told Nation.Africa that the suspect, who had a warrant of arrest issued against him, had committed four more defilements, three robberies and two break-ins.
"We have the files ready, complete with victim and witness statements. We have been laying ambush to nab him but he has been elusive. But today we were lucky," he said.
The police boss criticised neighbours who witnessed the morning drama of the suspect attempting to defile the girl he had abducted as they watched without trying to rescue her.
"It is totally unacceptable for a whole neighbourhood to watch as a girl is abducted to be defiled. But we are happy for those who called us. Citizens should be more proactive in securing their neighbourhoods. One suspect cannot overpower a whole estate," he said.
But an eye witnesses to the whole drama said gangsters operating in the area normally attack those whom they suspect to be betraying them to the police.
"This suspect came in the morning while riding a motorcycle. He said he wanted a girl he had seen the previous night. He showed us a pistol and said he would not hesitate to kill anyone who protested. I retreated into the house and called the police, warning them that he was armed," said a neighbour.
Mr Shikondi said the search for criminal gang members in the area continues and that police will not hesitate to use lethal force against criminals, but strictly within the rule of law.
