1 Dead, 2 Injured as Machete-Wielding Gang Attacks County Cess Barrier

A Mombasa County Government officer was killed after a group of suspected machete-wielding criminals attacked officers manning a county government cess collection barrier in Likoni.

Speaking on Monday, October 26, Mombasa County Police Commander Stella Jerono said the officers at the scene comprised members of the county government's enforcement team and two officers from the Kenya Police Service.

The group attacked the officers for reasons that remain unclear, leaving one police officer dead and two other officers injured during the incident.

"During the attack, one of our officers was injured, and a County Government of Mombasa enforcement officer was also attacked. Unfortunately, we lost one officer," she said.

Jerono said investigations had commenced to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and identify those responsible for the incident.

She said security agencies were working to ensure the suspects were arrested and prosecuted for their alleged involvement in the attack.

“The motive behind the attack is unknown, but investigations have commenced. As a team, we want to ensure that the criminals are arrested and brought to book," she added.

Jerono further revealed that a firearm belonging to the officers had gone missing during the attack, with investigators suspecting that the assailants had taken it.

She said efforts were underway to recover the weapon as part of the ongoing investigations into the incident.

"We are urging members of the public who may have any information concerning this incident to assist us by providing as much information as possible to support our investigations," she further said.

This comes days after detectives arrested a suspect linked to a violent robbery in Parklands, Nairobi, in which a member of the public was attacked and robbed of valuables.

In a statement on Wednesday, October 21, the DCI said the suspect, identified as Obed Makori, was apprehended along the Northern Bypass following an intelligence-led operation.

"Detectives from Gigiri have arrested a suspect captured in a viral video alongside his accomplices violently attacking a member of the public and robbing him of his valuables before fleeing the scene in Parklands, Nairobi," the statement read.

According to detectives, a firearm was dropped during the robbery and subsequently recovered by police as part of the investigation into the incident.

"During the incident, the suspect dropped a firearm, which was recovered by police and secured as exhibit," the statement added.

The DCI said Makori had remained at large following the incident, evading arrest until detectives tracked him down in the latest operation.

"After the incident, the suspect remained at large, evading arrest until the latest operation brought his run to an end," the statement further read.