A senior police officer was on Thursday, June 13 killed after he shot a magistrate at Makadara Police Station.

Chief Inspector Samson Kipchirchir Kipruto, the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Londiani, was shot dead by court orderlies who responded swiftly to a distress call after he shot Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti on the hip.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that Kipruto was in court for a case involving his wife, Jennifer Wairimu, who is accused of obtaining KSh2.9 million by false pretence.

Chief Registrar statement

“During an open court session earlier today, the Magistrate cancelled the bond for an accused person who had jumped bond and had failed to offer satisfactory explanations for jumping bond. Immediately this decision was pronounced, a person shot at the magistrate and injured her on the hip,” a statement from Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Winfridah Mokaya reads.

Reports indicate that the accused claimed that she has cancer and has been in hospital hence the reason for missing several court appearances.

“We would like to assure all Judicial Officers, Staff and Court users of their safety and security in all our premises. We will enhance our security protocols for civilians visiting our courts as well as security officers who visit courts in circumstances that do not require them to be armed,” Mokaya adds.

CJ Koome reacts

According to Chief Justice Martha Koome, the deceased forcibly entered the court through the magistrate’s entrance and fired shots at Hon. Kivuti, injuring her severally on the chest and pelvic area.

A court orderly and two other officers who tried to remove the magistrate from the scene and secure the courtroom also sustained gunshot wounds.

“It is clear that the intention of the perpetrator was to kill the magistrate,” CJ Koome says.

Law Society of Kenya’s take

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Nairobi branch, has condemned the action, insisting that adherence to the rule of law should be universal, “irrespective of our stations in life.”

The absence of this fundamental principle results in the breakdown of order and leads to anarchy, where we are all vulnerable to its destructive consequences…We urge our members to remain calm while we gather more information about this developing situation,” LSK says.