Police Officer injured in fracas

Homa Bay

Friday, July 21, 2023

KNA by Davis Langat

A police officer suffered serious injuries today after he was attacked by protestors in Oyugis town, Homa Bay County.

The incident occurred when a group of protestors were attempting to break into a bank before the police swiftly moved in to disperse them.

In the ensuing melee, an officer attached to Rachuonyo South Police Division was cornered by the rowdy mob who attacked him with stone missiles hurled from a sling.

Rachuonyo South Sub County Police Commander Lilies Wachira confirmed that the officer was badly injured and was rushed to a local health facility.

He said the rowdy youths who were armed with stones and crude weapons attacked the officers who were thwarting their attempts to break into the bank.

He said some of the youths narrowed their attacks to one officer whom they rained a hail of stones on using a sling.

The officer collapsed after being overwhelmed by the injuries.

It forced another group of police officers to intervene to save their colleague.

The officers lobbed teargas canisters and shot in the air to disperse the protestors from the scene.

The rescue squad got hold of the injured officer who was already unconscious and put him into their vehicle before they sped off to a local hospital.

“The officer was seriously injured in the incident. His health is improving even though he is still nursing bad injuries,” Wachira said.

She warned residents against taking advantage of demonstrations to engage in criminal activities.

“Let residents avoid criminal activities. We will not spare anybody who engages in crime,” Wachira added.

Meanwhile, for the third day running, police in Homa Bay town continued engaging in a cat and mouse game with protesters.

As the protestors hurled stones at the police, the officers used teargas to disperse them as they kept regrouping.

The police also spent the better part of the day removing stones which the protestors had used to barricade roads leading to the town.

Majority of the shops remained closed except a few in the peripheries of the town. The day schools within the town also remained closed.

Courtesy ; K. N. A