Mistaken identity? Police in hot water after shooting SDA church elder
A scene in Homa Bay Town where police shot and injured an SDA church leader on Tuesday night as he was coming from a car wash.
The shooting of a local church leader in Homa Bay Town on Friday night has sparked outrage and raised questions about policing amid claims of "mistaken identity".
A group of police officers sprayed a car belonging to a businessman and Makongeni Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church elder as he was driving home from a car wash. They reportedly mistook him for a criminal.
He sustained serious injuries to his leg and was rushed to hospital.
At the scene, his blood could be seen on the driver's seat and on the tarmac where his car had ground to a halt.
He reported driving at about 8 pm from Homa Bay Town pier where he had left his car for washing. A few metres from the pier, a group of officers opened fire on his car and emptied multiple rounds of ammunition. Some bullets hit his windscreen while others struck the bonnet and the driver's door.
Witnesses said he was not questioned before they opened fire.
"They were waiting for him for several minutes. It was something that was planned," one resident claimed.
The police had a difficult time controlling the crowd that had gathered at the scene to demand answers.
"It's unfortunate...The officers could not explain to us why they did this...their bosses were also perplexed," Mr Evans Ndede, the victim's nephew, said.
Homa Bay Sub-county Police Commander Sammy Koskey and his counterpart from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Ms Monica Berege, were at the scene after the incident. They are yet to issue a statement on the matter.
The incident, however, is said to be linked to a wave of criminal activity in Homa Bay Town. For instance, a businessman and his wife were on Tuesday this week shot by armed thugs while closing their shop. The gang robbed them of Sh250,000 and escaped.
It is believed that the shooting incident, suspected to be a case of mistaken identity, happened as the officers were trailing suspects linked to recent criminal activity.
The church elder's family has called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to probe the case and ensure justice.
"We are likely to witness similar shootings if IPOA fails to act. Whoever did this should be punished as a lesson to other police officers who think they can misuse firearms," Mr Jared Kajomo, a family member, said.
