A family in Nakuru has gone into mourning after a 25-year-old Eunice Maguke whp was pregnant was ran over by a lorry fleeing from police officers.
Her family members said was six-months pregnant, met her gruesome demise as she was preparing to open her grocery shop at a kiosk located in Nakuru town on a roadside in Kabachi area.
The accident that took place Monday afternoon killed the mother of one on the spot.
According to witnesses, the deceased was arranging her groceries kiosk when the lorry, which was loaded with soil rammed into her kiosk, killing her instantly.
“I saw a lorry speeding towards our kiosks, and within seconds, screams filled the air and the next minutes, I saw Ms Maguke’s body. The driver of the lorry tried escaping before boda boda riders intercepted him and beat him up. He was rushed to a local hospital,” Ms Gladys Nekesa, who owns an adjacent kiosk recounts.
A number of other witnesses said they saw a police car chasing the lorry before it rammed into the grocery shop.
“I saw the police vehicle make a u-turn after they realized the lorry had been involved in an accident.It is not clear where the lorry was heading to with the construction material,” said a resident who sought anonymity.
Residents further revealed that the body was left at the scene of the accident for thirty minutes before it was picked by police and taken to Nakuru War Memorial hospital. They didn’t understand why it took police officers that long to arrive at the scene which is a few kilometres from Nakuru Central Police station in Nakuru town.
Another resident said, “Police arrived at the scene after about 30 minutes and took the body to the mortuary”.
There was drama at the scene when the owner of the lorry arrived and attempted to bar journalists from covering the grisly accident.
However, family members led by her brother James Ouko Oginga said they had reported the matter at Nakuru Police Station under OB number 031/11/2/2018, police bosses could not confirm or deny being aware of the matter.
When reached for a comment, Nakuru Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Samuel Obara said he was away from the station and directed the Nation to reach out to his deputy Daniel Kitavi, whom understandably is not allowed to talk to the press.
County Police Commander Stephen Matu also confirms to being away from the station, attending a seminar.
By the time of going to press police were yet to give details about the incident including whether they had made any arrests or not.
Through the woman’s husband Mr Walter Oginga ,the deceased’s family is now demanding justice for their kin, saying she innocently met death while at work.
“We want justice for our kin , because the vehicle was fleeing a police dragnet, before it caused the accident, “said Mr Oginga.
Residents have called upon the county government to put road bumps in the area.