Shock as policeman kills girlfriend, turns gun on himself
Body of a police officer who shot himself after fatally shooting a woman in Sosiot, Kericho County is moved to a police van on June 7, 2023.
Shock and disbelief gripped Sosiot trading centre in Kericho County on Wednesday when a police officer shot dead a woman before turning the gun on himself.
The Administration Police officer attached to Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit shot the tailor- said to be his girlfriend, for unknown reasons in the early morning incident.
After committing the crime in full view of members of the public, he walked to his house a few metres away and shot himself, killing himself instantly.
Mr Charles Kabati, the Belgut Sub-County Police Commander, confirmed the incident which has sent shockwaves through the area.
"Investigations into the unfortunate incident have started and it is unfortunate that we lost two lives that could have been saved," said Mr Kabati.
Mr Kabati appealed to police officers not to take the law into their hands whenever there are disagreements but to try and resolve issues amicably.
"The officer, who was on duty and in full uniform, went to the shop where the woman was plying her trade of sewing clothes and shot her twice at close range as members of the public scampered for safety," a senior police officer told the Nation on the phone earlier.
The woman's body was covered in a pool of blood after the shooting, while a similar scene was recreated at the home of the officer where he took his own life.
It was not immediately clear why the officer shot the woman and killed himself in the incident, which took place in the Belgut constituency, a few metres from the sub-county police and administrative headquarters.
The two were reportedly romantically involved, but it was not clear if they had a dispute before the incident.
The bodies of the victims have since been taken to the Sigowet Sub County Police Hospital Mortuary for preservation as investigations into the incident began.
