Police shoot and injure man in Kirinyaga as villages oppose land subdivision

A man was on February 13, 2017 shot and seriously wounded in a fierce fight between police and villagers in Kirinyaga County opposing the subdivision of a piece of land. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The man was shot three times at Mugumoini Village and was rushed to Karatina hospital.
  • Police officers were guarding surveyors who were subdividing a disputed piece of land.
  • The villagers insisted that the land belongs to their elderly colleague.
  • The police boss warned the villagers against taking the law into their hands.

A man was Monday shot and seriously wounded in a fierce fight between the police and villagers in Kirinyaga County.

The man was shot three times at Mugumoini Village and was rushed to Karatina hospital with bullets lodged in his body.

He suffered leg and hand injuries and he had to be operated on to remove the bullets.

Witnesses said the officers were guarding surveyors who were subdividing a disputed piece of land following a court order when scores of panga-wielding villagers confronted them.

A bitter exchange of words between the officers and the villagers ensued with the residents vowing not to allow the subdivision of the land to continue.

The villagers insisted that the land belongs to their elderly colleague and that there was a scheme by an influential tycoon to take it over.

STOP SURVEYORS

Moments later, the villagers attempted to stop the surveyors from doing their work but the officers intervened sparking off a fight.

The officers engaged the villagers in running battles for hours.

As the fight intensified the officers opened fire, injuring one of the villagers.

According to the witnesses, the victim bled profusely and he had to be rescued by sympathisers and rushed to hospital where he was admitted.

"He was shot in the hands and legs as the officers fought with the hostile villagers opposed to the subdivision of the land belonging to one their colleague," said one of the witnesses.

EXCESSIVE FORCE

The villagers accused the officers of using excessive force during the confrontation and called on the government to intervene.

"We want the officers who shot our colleague arrested and prosecuted. Justice must be done," said one of the villagers.

County Police Commander Joseph Nthenge said the officers were acting in self-defence and they should not be blamed for what happened.

"The officers were enforcing a legal court order when villagers who were armed with machetes attacked them. It was then that the officers started defending themselves and in the process one man was injured," said Mr Nthenge.

He warned the villagers against taking the law into their hands and provoking officers on official duty.

"We are not advocating the use of guns against the villagers but they should not take the law into their hands," said Mr Nthenge.