Police officers in Uasin Gishu County have intensified a hunt for a suspect that last Saturday snatched a firearm from an Administration Police (AP) officer in Eldoret town.
County Criminal Investigations Officer (CCIO) Peter Kimulwo says the incident happened early on January 21, 2022, near the Uasin Gishu County Commisioner’s offices as the male officer was heading to his house from his work station.
In a media briefing at his office in Eldoret, Kimulwo noted that the suspect accosted the officer who was alone and hit him on the head before snatching the firearm.
“The officer had lef his place of duty at around 5.45 am after hinishing his routine and was heading to his house at the AP lines when the incident happened,” the CCIO told journalists.
“The officer was hit on the head and fell down – he then temporarily became unconscious and it is at this moment that robber managed to snatch the firearm from him,” he added.
Preliminary investgations indicate that the robber who the police are yet to identify ran with the firearm towards the Block 10, Subaru and Action areas.
Attempts by some of the bodaboda operators who saw the suspects run to chase after him were fruitless.
According to the CCIO, the firearm – an AK-47 riffle had 30 rounds of ammunition at the time of the incident.
So far no suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Kimulwo however said police are following key leads which they hope will lead to the recovery of the stolen firearm and arrest of the culprit.
Failed robbery
Among the leads police are following is what they believe the suspect used the firearm in a failed attempt to rob two bodaboda operators in the area later on the same day.
“He fired several rounds of ammunition which we believe are from the firerarm that was stolen,” said the County Criminal Investigations Officer (CCIO).
Police visited the scene and recovered three live ammunitions, together with several spent cartridges. They are expected to be subjected to ballistics to ascertain if they are from the stolen AK-47.
Meanwhile, the officer was taken to police by colleagues and he is in a stable condition even as hunt for the suspect and the firearm continues.
