- Bodyguard drew his pistol, shot the woman in the chest eight times as she sat on a sofa.
- He shot himself in the head.
A house help who grabbed and escaped with two children as their police officer parents fought probably saved their lives.
The house help told police she read the mood of the situation on Tuesday night as a bodyguard attached to Interior CS Fred Matiang'i's office arrived home. They argued and she knew things were not well.
The bodyguard, GSU officer Hudson Wakise, shot his wife eight times in the chest as she sat on the sofa. Then he turned the gun on himself. He put he muzzle under his chin and pulled the trigger.
They had argued over her decision to leave him and move out of the GSU camp, witnesses said.
The couple had been together since 2012 when they both graduated from GSU Training Campus in Embakasi.
Whereas Wakise, 30, remained in GSU serving as a VIP protection officer, his wife Pauline, 29, moved to general duty and was deployed as a traffic officer. She served in Nakuru and Nairobi.
Their two children, aged five and two years, witnessed the argument but not the murder-suicide.
Pauline's brother was in the house and had to take cover as Wakise opened fire on Pauline.
Police IG Hillary Mutyambai said preliminary investigation showed Wakise shot and killed his wife before turning the gun on himself.
Officers found the bodies in the sitting room.
Matiang’i mourned the deaths saying they show the psychosocial challenges of young officers. He said they need attention.
“I am deeply pained by the tragic incident involving PC Hudson Wakise and his wife PC Pauline Wakasa, both young and vibrant police officers with brilliant futures tragically ended in their shocking demise.
“It's a rude awakening to psychosocial challenges amongst some of our young officers that we have no choice but to now pay greater attention to. My sincere condolences to their families and friends,” the CS said.
Mutyambai, too, mourned the officers and said there may have been a domestic quarrel.
Wakise, who had been off duty since April 1, reported back to work on April 6 but left at 3pm and went home outside the GSU camp in Drive Inn, Ruaraka, where the killings took place.
They had apparently argued over Pauline's move out of the GSU camp. She moved to a new house on Saturday.
There were accusations and counteraccusations of infidelity, neighbours said.
Witnesses said Wakise arrived home at about 9pm and found his wife taking supper; they argued about her decision to leave.
He walked out, returned, drew his Jericho pistol and shot Pauline eight times in the chest as she sat on the sofa.
He turned the gun on himself.
The children and the house help were hiding outside the house.
Pauline was attached to the Kilimani division. Just like her husband, she had been on duty until late Tuesday evening.
The pistol, nine spent cartridges, two magazines- one fully loaded with 15 rounds and a second one with six bullets - were recovered from the scene.
Police termed the case murder-suicide and declared it closed for now.
Their colleagues said the couple was hardworking and dedicated to their duties.
Such murder and suicide incidents are on the rise in the service. They are blamed on work-related trauma.
Officials say trauma is the main reasons police behave that way.
According to a Kenyatta University research, the major factor contributing to suicide and murder among officers in Kenya is work-related trauma.
The study found out that police are generally at the receiving end of all community problems.
They are expected to maintain law and order in very difficult situations, besides putting their lives at risk as soon as they leave home every day.
It further emphasized that police officers are often in touch with extremely painful issues in the community such as murder and rape, which stresses them.
Mutyambai had last year launched a new programme-Muamko Mpya-Healing the Uniform Initiative- to give psychological support to officers.
Mutyambai said police officers who are often exposed to trauma that creates deep emotional scars, need healing.
“The ultimate goal of the initiative is to provide officers with knowledge, tools and a framework to assist them to support each other while handling traumatic situations,” Mutyambai said.
“They encounter most of these situations on personal and professional levels.”
He ordered the Kenya Police, Administration Police and Directorate of Criminal Investigations heads to ensure counseling is integrated in the police training curriculum.