Former Kirimari Ward MCA aspirant Swaleh Oswado was on Tuesday, August 5, shot dead after attempting to escape from police custody.
The incident happened in the Gatondo area in Embu County while detainees were being transported from Siakago Law Courts.
Embu West Sub-county Police Commander Vincent Kitili, who confirmed the incident, said the suspect threw pepper and jumped out of the prison van.
“Before he jumped out of the van, the suspect threw pepper at police officers, causing temporary blindness and confusion,” Kitili explained.
He noted that one police officer pursued the suspect while the others took the remaining detainees to prison.
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Kitili noted that the suspect even wanted to attack the officer who pursued him with a panga before he was gunned down.
“The suspect ran into a house that was under construction. The officer didn’t give up and followed him inside. The suspect picked up a machete as he saw the officer approaching. The officer warned him not to come closer, but the suspect found an opening in the building and jumped over the wall, trying to escape.
“The officer also attempted to jump over the wall in pursuit, but the suspect was determined to attack him. That’s when the officer defended himself and shot him,” the Embu West Sub-county Police Commander stated.
Further, Kitili noted that Oswado was a high-risk detainee facing murder charges.
The body of the deceased was taken to the Embu Level Five Hospital mortuary, awaiting post-mortem examination.
