One person was shot dead in Katani, Machakos County, on Sunday, after a dispute over a parcel of land turned violent.
The victim, identified as Sammy, was shot dead by an unnamed individual in what witnesses describe as a conversation which escalated into a physical confrontation.
In a video obtained by Kenyans.co.ke, a gunman can be seen running away from an irate crowd while threatening to fire at them. It has since been established that the video was taken shortly after Sammy, a land broker in the area, was shot dead.
According to locals, the armed man was part of a duo that was intimidating the land broker in the area, prompting action from a crowd who noticed the commotion.
“I found them intimidating, the land broker using a weapon. When they saw the crowd, one of the people started shooting in the air,” one witness recalled.
Another witness claimed that after the situation turned violent, the gun holder fired several shots in the air to attempt to disperse the crowd, who were intent on holding him accountable for the death of the land broker.
Describing the chaos, the witness said, “We heard gunshots for several minutes. Then we saw Sammy arriving on a motorbike. He was badly injured.”
A good Samaritan offered his pickup to rush the victim to the hospital, but he eventually succumbed to his injuries. His death has since sparked violent protests from area locals who witnessed the whole commotion.
The victim's brother has since decried foul play, since the land broker was allegedly summoned by unnamed individuals for discussions with no knowledge that they were armed.
While the gunholder and his accomplice fled the scene, irate residents torched the vehicle used to get to Katani in protest.
Authorities have since been able to link the dispute to a landowner in the area, who is believed to have been behind the intimidation attempts on the land broker.
The landowner has since been taken into custody and is being held at the Mavoko Police Station as investigations continue.
