Police officer shot and seriously wounded by colleagues in Nairobi

Nairobi, Kenya: A police officer is fighting for his life after he was shot and seriously injured by his colleagues in South B, Nairobi in unclear circumstances.

Constable David Chomba Mariga, who is attached to the Anti-Mugging Squad, was shot in the neck on Tuesday afternoon.

He is admitted to the Mater Hospital in a stable condition after the shooting incident. His seniors said they are investigating the circumstances of the shooting.

The injured officer had left his place of work in the city centre to visit his sister in Industrial Area when the incident occurred.

Witnesses said the officers shot Mariga after mistaking him for a thug. This was after they saw a gun protrude from his holster. Given his squad’s modus operandi, he was in civilian clothes at the time of the incident.

And after they shot him, they allegedly grabbed his gun and shot in the air thrice, witnesses said.

But officers at the Industrial Police station claimed the shooting happened after the public allegedly reported the officer was harassing them in the Sana Sana area, South B.

Industrial Area OCS Chief Inspector Amos Shamalla, claimed that after receiving information on the alleged harassment, he sent officers to the scene to check what was happening.

The officers are said to have ordered Mariga to surrender but he instead shot at them three times. None of the officers was injured.

Witnesses however, claimed that there was no confrontation.

The officers said they found a Ceska that had 10 bullets. Mariga told his colleagues from his hospital bed that he was shocked by the incident. He said he was walking when he heard shouts and before he could turn, he was shot.

Nairobi police boss Japheth Koome said they are investigating the incident.

Anti-Mugging squad usually operates in the CBD targeting muggers, who are on the rampage attacking and robbing pedestrians and motorists.