Corporal Caroline Kangogo, an officer who is on the run.
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Policewoman on the run: When pushed to the wall, she bites the bullet
What you need to know:
- Trusted to uphold the rule of law, the officer is now on the run like the criminals she swore to keep off the streets.
- The towering corporal is the prime suspect in the cold-blooded shooting of Constable John Ogweno in Nakuru and another man, Peter Ndwiga, in Thika less than 24 hours later.
Fugitive police officer Caroline Kangogo has shocked the nation with daring transgressions that have left an appalling trail of blood in her wake.
Trusted to uphold the rule of law, the officer is now on the run like the criminals she swore to keep off the streets after the horrific killing of two men that has sent shock waves through the police service.
The towering corporal is the prime suspect in the cold-blooded shooting of Constable John Ogweno in Nakuru and another man, Peter Ndwiga, in Thika less than 24 hours later.
Police Constable John Ogweno who was killed in a suspected love triangle on July 5, 2021.
Peter Ndwiga, who is suspected to have been killed by Caroline Kangogo inside a hotel room in Juja.
To some of her colleagues, she’s an amiable person with a calm and cheerful demeanour. Yet, others say she doesn’t fear confrontation and, many a time, responds with force when threatened in any way.
Confrontational
A lively person who prefers the company of men, Cpl Kangogo is said to be an officer who tackles issues head on, rarely ducks. Often, she stands her ground and bites the bullet to protect her name.
When pushed to the wall with wild allegations, she confronts her superiors and, in some instances, embarrasses them in public.
Cpl Kangogo, 34, was once married to a senior officer attached to the Maritime Police Unit in Mombasa with whom they were blessed with two children before things went south between the couple.
Corporal Caroline Kangogo, an officer who is on the run.
Before the reign of terror, she lived alone at a house in Block 19 of the Kasarani Police Line in Nakuru.
“She had an eye for the finer things in life, lived large and mostly entertained male guests at her house,” a neighbour, also an officer who preferred anonymity, told Nation.Africa.
Constable Ogweno had been allocated a house in Block 9, about 50 metres from Cpl Kangogo’s apartment, but spent most of his time in her house.
'Men would fight over her'
After PC Ogweno’s body was found in his car on Monday morning, detectives went to Cpl Kangogo’s house where they found his clothes and clues that the two had had dinner together.
“She entertained men with money and would break up once the money is finished,” an officer said.
“Most of the times, she said the men would fight over her,” he added.
At some point, Cpl Kangongo simply refused to take instructions from the station commander, who responded by moving her from the crime desk to other duties in court.
Another colleague claimed that most of the disciplinary cases did not progress to conclusion.
“We all knew that she was the wife of a very influential senior officer and this made us believe that she was feared by those in lower ranks. We did not know that she was divorced. She’s very manipulative,” another officer told Nation.Africa.
No record of indiscipline
However, Nakuru County Police Commander Beatrice Kiraguri said Cpl Kangongo had no record of indiscipline and was seen as a gentle person.
She served in the crimes department and thereafter as a court orderly where she was in charge.
Her file indicates that she is still married to her husband who is a Commissioner of Police based in Mombasa and has two children aged 11 and 7 years.
Her marriage to the senior officer based in Mombasa was troubled and she allegedly fought with him in public, prompting the officer to end the union.
A lawyer who acted for her husband said the two separated eight years ago and had been fighting in court over the custody of the two children.
But the matter was settled out of court and the two had agreed that the children who were still living with the mother would visit their father during school holidays.
The father has since taken the children.
According to the lawyer, the couple fought over infidelity and that the woman was violent towards her husband.
Reported by sex workers
A report seen by Nation.Africa indicated that Cpl Kangogo was once reported by commercial sex workers after she invaded their business complex and confiscated their money. When she was summoned, the officer claimed the sex workers wanted her to register with their organisation.
Cpl Kangogo joined the National Police Service on August 8, 2008 and served in Kiganjo before she was transferred to Nakuru.
Before being transferred to Nakuru in 2015 she had served in Kaloleni and Kenya Police College, Kiganjo.
A detective privy to the investigations alleged that Ndwiga, the man who was shot dead at a hotel in Thika, may have been present during the killing of PC Ogweno.
Detectives believe that it is Ndwiga who helped her escape on that night using his vehicle. Ndwiga had been living with PC Kangogo before she met PC Ogweno.
Born in Elgeyo Marakwet 34 years ago, Ms Kangogo attended St Alphonsas Mutei Girl’s High School. She sat KCSE exam in 2006 and scored a C- grade.
