Policemen gunned down a senior Kenyan police officer after he opened fire on Makadara Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti shortly after she made a ruling in a case involving his wife in the capital, Nairobi. Chief Inspector Samson Kipchirchir Kipruto shot Kivuti shortly after she cancelled his wife’s bail following her escape.
Angered by the court’s decision, Kipruto, who oversees a police station in Londiani, western Kenya, then drew his gun and shot the magistrate, injuring her. Other officers responded immediately, shooting and killing the offending policeman. A police report states that three officers were injured in the process.
The magistrate and the injured officers are being treated in hospital. The judiciary said the magistrate had “cancelled the bond for an accused person who had jumped bail and had failed to offer satisfactory explanations for jumping bail.”
“Immediately after this decision was pronounced, a person shot at the magistrate and injured her on the hip,” it said in a statement. Initial reports indicate “that the shooter is a police officer who is married to the suspect.” The national police service said the officer was in the court for “unknown reasons.”
An inquiry has been launched to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident. Although the police have often been accused of highhandedness and extrajudicial murders, no such incident has been reported inside a court. The incident inside a courtroom has sparked outrage among many Kenyans.
The judiciary has promised to improve safety measures and assured judicial staff and other court users of their safety and security.
Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Winfridah Mokaya said “As the judiciary family, we wish our colleague a quick recovery. We also send our condolences to the family of the officer who lost his life in this unfortunate incident.”
