A police officer attached to the elite presidential escort of DP Ruto took his own life at his home in Juja, Kiambu County.
A member of Deputy President William Ruto’s security squad, Constable Samuel Ngatia died on Monday morning after shooting himself in the head.
The motive behind the incident remains unknown.
A police report filed at Hays police post in Juja indicated that the victim was alone in the house within the General Service Unit’s Recce squad camp on Kenyatta Road at the time of the incident.
“He used his pistol and shot himself in the head with preliminary findings showing that the bullet entered on the right side and exited on the left side,” the report said.
A Jericho pistol loaded with 13 bullets and a Trevor sub machine gun with two magazines loaded with 30 bullets were found in the house.
Police also recovered two spent cartridges and one bullet head. A team of detectives from Thika and Juja is investigating the incident.
The incident comes against the backdrop of the government’s efforts to curb cases of suicide and police officers targeting colleagues.
Interior CS Fred Matiang’i recently stated that the government had organised counseling and mental health sessions in order to help officers cope with stress along with other challenges.
He added that mental health issues are not limited to police officers but Kenyans should support each other and come to the aid of those in need of assistance.