A neighbourhood in Kimbimbi, Kirinyaga County, has been left in shock after an Administration Police officer allegedly shot and killed his partner before taking his own life inside their residence. Detectives have since launched investigations to establish what may have led to the fatal incident.
The officer, who was attached to Mwea East Sub-County, lived with the woman in official police housing.
Residents said the woman operated a shop at the nearby trading centre and that the couple had been living together for several years.
The tragedy was discovered when fellow officers went to the house to collect firearms. After repeated knocks went unanswered, they peered through a window and spotted the woman lying motionless inside one of the rooms.
The officers immediately alerted their superiors before forcing their way into the house.
Mwea East Sub-County Police Commander Stephen Okal said the officer’s body was later found in the sitting room after the door was broken open.
Preliminary investigations indicate that five rounds were fired during the incident, with the woman sustaining four gunshot wounds to the chest before the officer allegedly turned the weapon on himself, shooting himself once in the neck.
Residents who knew the couple expressed disbelief, describing them as approachable and peaceful people who had become familiar faces in the community. Some recalled seeing the officer while on duty guarding banks in Ngurubani.
“I used to buy items from his wife’s shop. They were very friendly. The lady comes from Difathas and they had been together for three years. We wonder what went wrong,” said Stella Wangui, a resident of Kimbimbi.
Investigators believe the sound of the gunfire may have gone unnoticed because the house was surrounded by thick vegetation, which could have muffled the noise and delayed the discovery of the incident.
Mwea East Administration Police Commander Hassan said both families had been informed of the deaths.
“I am consoling them. They have already arrived from Kiambu County,” Hassan said.
Police say detectives are now piecing together the events that preceded the shooting as they seek to establish the motive behind the incident.
“The two bodies have been moved to Kerugoya Hospital mortuary as detectives continue with investigations,” Okal said.
As investigations continue, the tragedy has left family members, neighbours and colleagues searching for answers, with residents hoping the inquiry will reveal what led to the loss of two lives in such devastating circumstances.
