Police officer escorting KCSE papers ambushed, killed in Siaya

Crime Scene

A second policeman was injured in the attack, while a teacher ran to safety with the exam papers.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

Unidentified assailants ambushed and killed a police officer escorting Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination papers in Alego Usonga, Siaya. 

A second police officer was injured during the attack while a teacher ran to safety with the exam papers. 

They were on their way to Mahero Secondary School when they were attacked.

They had just got off the bus that had taken them to collect papers from Siaya County headquarters, a few metres from the school, because the bus could not reach the school due to the bad state of the road.

According to a police report, this is when they encountered the assailants, who attacked them with crude weapons, killing the officer and leaving the other seriously injured.

"The thugs escaped with the officers' firearms (an AK47 and MP5)," a police report said.

In recent months, Siaya County has witnessed incidents of insecurity that have caused fear and anxiety among the local population.

According to a recent police incident report dated 14 November, the body of an adult male was found dumped in a public toilet with deep cuts visible.

"It was reported by a member of the public that a dead body was lying near his compound. National Police Service officers immediately visited the scene and found the lifeless body of an unknown male adult in his early 20s, dressed in a black jacket and reflective jacket, with deep cuts on his head," read the police incident report.

"The body was lying in a pool of blood in a toilet," the report added.

Prior to the incident, another body was found dumped in Ahindi Gardens.

The body was taken to Siaya County Referral Mortuary where it is awaiting post-mortem examination.

Exactly one month ago, a group of gunmen attacked locals at Hono trading centre in Alego Usonga, leaving three people dead.

The gang had tried unsuccessfully to break into one of the shops at Hono Trading Centre after a member of the public raised the alarm.

After failing in their mission, they turned on three people in different areas, leaving them dead and dumping their bodies along the roads.

The trio were identified as Rashid Otieno, 24, Peter Omondi, 59, and Collins Ouma, 28.