Migori police gun down man said to have killed relative

Police in Kehancha in Kuria West, Migori County, on Wednesday gunned down a man who had been on the run after he allegedly hacked to death a woman in Girigiri in Kuria East on Saturday.

The suspect identified as Getangita Maroa is alleged to have hacked to death his sister-in-law, Ms Ghati Weisero, after accusing her of covering up his wife's infidelity.

He is reported to have waylaid the woman as she was coming from a nearby well to fetch water and hacked her with a machete. The woman died on spot.

RESISTED ARREST

Ntimaru OCPD Ahmed Abadikadir said Mr Maroa was spotted in a restaurant in Kehancha town by police officers but he resisted arrest and tried to rough up the officers before he was shot dead.

"The police had been looking for him after he had killed his sister-in-law. Officers tried to arrest him but he resisted arrest and even tried to fight with the police. That is when he was shot dead," said Mr Abdikadir.

The body of the suspect was taken to Migori County Referal Hospital mortuary.

SOLD LAND

Relatives of the suspect said he had sold his land before he escaped.

Police officers are said to have found over Sh300,000 on him.

Angry residents of Girigiri who were also baying for the blood of the suspect expressed their "joy" at the news of his death.

"It serves him right to die. What he did to the woman was so brutal. We had even launched a manhunt of him before the police caught up with him," said one of the residents.

ACTIVISTS

But some human rights activists in the region took issue with the police for killing the suspect. They argued that the man should have been arrested and charged as the law demands.

"Why did they have to kill him instead of arresting him as the law demands? One cannot understand why over three police officers cannot arrest one unarmed man. Clearly, the intention was to kill," said Boke Mwita, an activist.

The man’s killing happened at a time when police are on spot for extra judicial killings.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority has launched investigations into an incident in which an Administration Police officer attached to Kegonga Police Division in Kuria East shot and killed a 20-year-old man after a disagreement over a game of billiards in October 2018.