A police officer was shot dead on Monday as eight remandees escaped after suspected Turkana bandits ambushed a police convoy escorting prisoners in Samburu County.
The attack occurred at Charda along the Maralal-Baragoi-South Horr road as officers transported detainees from Maralal GK Prison to Baragoi for a mobile court session.
Marti Police Station Commander Robert Amuke confirmed the incident, revealing that the slain officer was a police constable who had been serving as a driver at the time of the attack.
"On Monday at around 1900 hours, I received information that officers from Baragoi Police Station, who were escorting remandees, had been attacked by suspected Turkana bandits," Amuke told the press.
The police officer reportedly sustained multiple gunshot wounds during the ambush, leading to his death.
Additionally, the bandits are feared to have escaped with an AK-47 rifle loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, which was missing from the scene.
Police stated that a multi-agency team, including officers from the Kenya Defence Forces and other police units, was dispatched to the area to assist in the rescue operation following the attack.
The team managed to locate two officers who had taken cover in a dense bush with their weapons intact as they continued the pursuit of the bandits.
However, two police escort officers remained unaccounted for, along with the escaped prisoners.
Police reports further revealed that the fugitives were facing serious charges, including defilement, gang defilement, illegal firearm possession, murder, and robbery with violence.
The slain officer’s body was transferred to the Baragoi Sub-County Hospital Morgue as investigations into the incident continue.
This escape comes just days after another incident on Sunday, January 26, when eight suspects broke free from Wundanyi Prison by scaling and compromising the facility’s roof.
