Police are on high alert in Mombasa and surrounding counties after a flying squad officer was trailed and shot dead by a gang of thugs.
This came hot on the heels of a major lock-down which saw at least 5 suspected gang members tracked and detained over robbery with violence.
The shot flying squad officer fro Taita-Taveta county is believed to be the face behind the unmasking and subsequent arrest of the gang members.
Part of the gang, out of fear, is believed to have trailed the cop and shot him dead before escaping at break-neck speeds on a motorbike.
Shot in the company of colleagues
A local daily reported that the police officer was in the company of his colleagues when he was shot by two people.
The whole scene was also reportedly caught on CCTV camera.
Confirming the incident, Taveta divisional police commander (OCPD) Lawrence Maroa revealed that the officer succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment at Taveta Sub-county Hospital.
Body taken to morgue
His body was then taken to the hospital’s mortuary.
Maroa further divulged that the police had hunted the gang, who were linked to a robbery in Mombasa, since morning and that it was the deceased officer who identified them.
“He was the one who identified them. They shot him two times,” stated Maroa.
The gang members reportedly escaped to Tanzania after the shoot-out that caused a frenzy in the coastal town with people scampering for safety.
“They escaped using a boda boda towards Holili. The boda boda was abandoned at the border and they then escaped on foot,” continued Maroa.
Armed and dangerous
The gang is believed to be behind some of the most violent robberies in Mombasa with members identified as Brighton Naiya Manyala, Mohamed Hassan, Chris Odhiambo Omondi, Evans Munyoki Mburiro and Mutonyi Nzamba.
“The operation is ongoing. We are doing all we can to arrest them,” remarked the OCPD.