Anwar Loitiptip: Senator who loves courting trouble 

Lamu Senator Anwar Loitiptip was caught up in a shooting drama in Nanyuki, days after he was accused of attempting to throw a man into the Indian Ocean.  

The Senator surrendered at Nanyuki police station last evening for allegedly shooting a woman in Nanyuki town at dawn Sunday.

His gun was also seized. 

Laikipia County Criminal Investigations Officer Onesmus Towett on Sunday confirmed Ms Joy Makena, 32, was shot at 2am at Kanu grounds.

According to Mr Towett, the Senator claims he was attacked by three individuals and he shot the woman during the scuffle.

"It is true there was a shooting incident involving the Senator but he claims he acted in self defence," Mr Towett told Nation yesterday. 

"The Senator is receiving treatment at a hospital in Nairobi claiming he was injured. Our officers are pursuing the matter," he added.

Police reports indicate that the matter was reported at Nanyuki police station at 2:20 am.

Shot in a scuffle

Upon arrival at the scene, police found Ms Makena who had been shot in her right leg above the ankle.

It was reported that the shooting occurred after a quarrel with Mr Anwar. Ms Makena was rushed to Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital.

"The scene was processed and two spent cartridges of 9mm recovered. The firearm with 13 rounds of ammunitions was recovered from his security detail Manoah Omale," the report read in part.

In May last year, Mr Anwar's father was shot in a scuffle involving police officers at Kiwanja Ndege area in Laikipia North Sub County.

Last week, the Senator was accused of assaulting a politician Francis Mugo at the Manda Airport Jetty on Tuesday evening, just minutes after Deputy President William Ruto left the county for Nairobi.  

In the altercation, Mr Mugo, 32, who has declared interest in vying for the Lamu senatorial seat on a UDA ticket, was injured in the right hand, left eye and hip.

Mr Anwar is alleged to have broken Mr Mugo’s eyeglasses, snatched his mobile phone and tried to throw him into the Indian Ocean.

“I am disappointed by Senator Loitiptip’s behaviour. He attacked me immediately after DP Ruto boarded his flight and left Manda Airport,” Mr Mugo said. 

Nightclub attack

“He forcefully took my phone, which I was using. In the process, he broke my eyeglasses and injured me in the right hand and left eye.”

He added, “He further harassed me by trying to throw me into the ocean at the jetty but I was lucky he didn’t succeed.”

The matter was reported at the Lamu Central Police Station and recorded under OB number 26/19/10/2021.

But the Senator dismissed the allegation that he harassed, beat and injured Mr Mugo.

He described the information as fake, malicious and incorrect.

“That man is just looking for sympathy and to tarnish my name but I will just (ignore) him. You can imagine how unfair it is for someone to come and gate-crash my function, then try to frame me,” he said.

In June 2019, the Senator was seriously injured in his head when he was attacked at a popular nightclub on Thika Road after watching the European Champions League finals in the company of former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko’s daughter, Saumu Mbuvi.

The Senator is alleged to have just rescued Ms Mbuvi from a man who had attacked her in the washrooms, only for the assailant to come back with reinforcements and beat him using clubs and other crude weapons.

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