Police officers have shared details behind a highway chase that lasted nearly one hour. The law enforcement officers from Homa Bay County resorted to shooting at the driver who had evaded multiple roadblocks.
The officers, on Thursday, October 28, disclosed that the incident occurred earlier in the week.
Officials from one of the country's leading parastatals caught wind of the truck driver's intentions to evade inspections at weigh bridges located between Busia and Kisumu counties.
This was after the truck driver used the ferry at Lake Victoria to cross from Siaya to Homa Bay County rather than using the highway. The officers believed that the motorist was smuggling goods from the neighbouring country of Uganda.
Border and Immigration officers raised concerns about the weight of the vehicle and urged the driver to allow them to inspect the cargo. However, he sped away after realising he was about to be intercepted.
The officials alerted Homa Bay County Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) boss, Mr Abed Kavoo, who deployed a multi-agency unit to track and apprehend the suspect.
A chase ensued on the highway, with police officers detailing that motorist drove for at least 50 kilometres before he was stopped.
In between the pursuit, he was reported to have evaded multiple roadblocks between Mbita and Rodi Kopany Trading Centre. At a barricade at Kodoyo Junction, police officers narrowly escaped death after the driver threatened to knock them down.
“He drove past the roadblock after using an alternative route,” DCI boss Abel Kavoo stated.
Kavoo ordered police to deflate the car at another junction that was mounted at Rodi Kopany. The police opened fire and shot at the vehicle’s tires.
The loaded truck veered off the highway after the driver lost control. He, nonetheless, managed to stop it at a further distance, opened and the door and vanished into a nearby thicket.
“His turnboy followed suit,” Kavoo added.
A manhunt was launched for the duo as police impounded the truck. They found 7,800 crates of eggs loaded at the back.
