Another Grave Mistake by Police Leads to Chaotic Scenes in Sirisia

An assistant chief's house was torched by Sirisia residents on Thursday, December 27, 2018. /BRIAN OJAMAA

Residents of Malakisi town in Sirisia constituency took to the streets on Thursday to protest after a man was fatally shot by policemen during a crackdown on illicit alcohol.

The group lit bonfires and blocked roads as they marched to Malakisi police station demanding justice.

George Lumbuku was killed after being shot by the officers as treated guests to a local brew at his house.

He was celebrating his son’s rite of passage.

Police are said to have confused his home for a brewing den and laid an ambush to arrest revelers.

It is at this point that all hell broke loose as residents resisted  the move, prompting them to engage in a battle.

Police shot Lumbuku as they tried to repulse the villagers.

Lumbuku’s father, John, said, “My son has never wronged anyone and I’m calling for justice.”

Residents torched the house and office of the Butonge assistant chief whom they accused of sending officers to Lumbuku’s home.

Sirisia politician Moses Nandalwe condemned the killing and asked Bungoma county commissioner James Kiandaa to probe the matter.

Sirisia OCPD Andrew Njeru said he is waiting for the results of a postmortem.

He said that officers had gone to arrest revelers drinking chang’aa.

“I will not defend any cop who will be found to have done any wrong. He will face the law,” Njeru said.

It took the intervention of Governor Wycliffe Wangamati to calm the residents.

Two youths were shot in the fracas.

One was shot in the leg and rushed to Malakisi health centre, while the other was shot in the chest and taken to Bungoma County Referral Hospital.

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