A tragic incident has shaken the security community in Laikipia West after a police officer allegedly turned on his colleagues during a violent confrontation that left one officer dead and another injured.
The incident occurred on Friday evening at Salama Police Post, where Police Constable Victor Chesang’ Mengich, aged 42, is reported to have attacked fellow officers following a heated altercation while on duty. One of the victims, Police Constable Abel Kivoto Kimanzi, sustained fatal stab wounds and was pronounced dead shortly after the incident.
According to preliminary reports, the confrontation escalated rapidly before members of the public from the nearby Salama shopping centre raised alarm and intervened. Witnesses said the situation unfolded suddenly, catching both officers and civilians off guard.
The officer in charge of the police post, Sergeant Wahome Muigai Muiruri, was reportedly at the shopping centre at the time of the incident. Upon hearing distress calls, he rushed toward the police post and found the two officers engaged in a violent struggle. In the process of trying to restrain the assailant, the senior officer sustained injuries and was rushed for medical treatment.
Local residents expressed shock over the incident, describing it as rare and deeply unsettling, especially given that it involved officers tasked with maintaining law and order.
Police authorities have since launched investigations into the circumstances surrounding the attack, including what may have triggered the altercation. The suspect was subdued and taken into custody as detectives moved to establish whether the incident was linked to personal differences, work-related stress, or other underlying factors.
The body of the deceased officer was transferred to a local mortuary pending a post-mortem examination as the National Police Service continues internal inquiries into the incident.