Shooting incident: Why Machakos University students went on rampage
Details of why students of Machakos University went on a rampage leading to the shooting of one of them can now be revealed.
Nairobi News has established that the students had for over a week planned to strike but they were stopped by police officers following a series of meetings.
The agenda of the meeting was the rampant insecurity, students said most of them leaving in the areas of Kathemboni, Chatia and Eastleigh estates had been attacked and lost valuables to criminals.
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On November 24, 2022, the students held a demonstration but were forced out of the road when officers led by Machakos Sub County Commander Moses Ndhiwa used teargas canisters to disperse the rioters.
“The demonstration is illegal and the students should ensure that they stop it because criminals might take advantage and steal from members of the public,” he told the media then.
Barely a week later, a police officer is today expected to be arraigned in court today, Tuesday, December 6, 2022, after he was allegedly arrested for stealing a mobile phone from a Machakos University Student.
In a statement, police say that Mr Kevin Sila and his accomplice identified as Mr David Muringu had on the night of Sunday, December 4, 2022, nabbed two students as they headed to their rented quarters while on a motorbike of registration number KMTE 363W.
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“They flagged down the students in the wee hours of the morning before descending on one of them with resounding slaps as they ransacked his pockets,” the statement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) read in part.
The roommate who was with the one who was being ransacked managed to narrowly escape the attack and took flight while screaming which attracted the attention of students from the university.
It is then that the students proceeded and rescued their fellow comrade from the duo. However, things went out of hand when the officer tried to hand back the stolen phone.
“Drama unfolded when the officer attempted to escape after handing back the stolen phone but it was too late as his colleagues from Machakos police station arrived and arrested him and his colleague,” the police said.
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The duo is currently nabbed and detained at the Machakos Police Station pending arraignment on robbery with violence charges.
The incident took place just a day after a student of the same institution died while receiving treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital after he was attacked by suspected thugs.
The student has been fighting for his life in the hospital and details about him remain very scarce.
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