Police in Kuria East subcounty were forced to lob teargas in the area as angry Kegonga residents demonstrated over death of a teacher on Christmas Day.
From Tuesday morning, angry residents blocked roads in Kegonga town which connects Kenya to Tanzania using boulders and twigs before engaging police in running battles marooning them at Kegonga Police Station.
Residents claimed a group of police officers were engaged in a brawl with residents on Christmas night and were engaged in fight before it ended up in fatal shooting to death of Samuel Muturi, 33, a local teacher.
“It was around midnight and I went to pick mwalimu and his brother at a club and when I was riding home several police officers accosted us,” Samuel Simange," a rider said claimed.
He said as they tried to ride away they hit a pole and the managed to run with the deceased’s brother before he was shot dead.
“I ran and a police officer chased me, I was lucky to scale a window of unfinished house which saved my life, the teacher was not lucky,” he claimed.
It was reported that police fired twice and a bullet got the deceased on the back before exiting in front and he died on the spot.
Naomi Ghati the deceased’s sister said she was informed by a child that the deceased was dead when they were preparing for church.
“We had high hopes that he was going to get employed and help us, the manner at which he died is shocking,” he said.
Kegonga town residents led by Nyabasi East MCA Nyamohanga Daniel Maroa, businessmen Robert Shantawa and Chacha Kimwama called on Interior Security Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to ensure the matter is settled.
“We have had complains of runaway insecurity and harassment of residents in the area,” Maroa said.
Speaking over the phone, Kuria East MP Marwa Kitayama said they will involve Independent Police Oversight Authority.
It took the intervention of Migori county commissioner David Gitonga to calm down the residents and restore calm in Kegonga town.
Kuria East police boss Patrick Njoroge refuted claims that the death was caused by extra-judicial killings.
“At about past midnight we received a call that a group of people were robbing residents in Kegonga town, we acted swiftly and arrived at the scene,” Njoroge said.
"Officers found about 10-15 men in the area and a scuffle ensued where two shots were fired in the air and unfortunately second shot caught the victim on the chest.”
He said so far they arrested three suspects who are helping them with investigations.
He said as officers they are tackling insecurity in Kegonga and already have several active robbery with violent cases in court and intelligence are monitoring several key suspects.
“We have hard core criminals from the area who have been engaging in crime in nearby town and they came back in the area, we have been monitoring them,” he said.
He denied claims of harassment by police in pubs saying he personally ensure patrols around the places adhere to the law.
The body of the deceased has been moved to Wima Mortuary awaiting post mortem examinations.