By Titus Too

Eldoret High Court Judge Abigail Mshila escaped death narrowly when thugs who shot at her accosted her.

The Judge was driving home in her personal car at around 8 pm Wednesday and was waiting for the gate to her residence in Eldoret to be opened when three men emerged.

Sensing danger, the Judge tried to reverse and drive off when one of the thugs pulled out a gun and shot at her.

Speaking through the Eldoret deputy registrar, Elizabeth Tanui, the judge said the thugs fled in a motorbike after shooting at the driver's side of her vehicle.

"The bullet narrowly missed the judge and went through the driver's door, under her feet. During the incident, the judge was not injured," said Tanui.

The motive of the attack is not clear and police were yesterday investigating the incident.

Uasin Gishu OCPD, Erastus Muthamia, said a team had been assigned the case and had already examined the Judge's car.

"We cannot  say much at this time, but investigations are underway. We will get to the bottom of this," said the OCPD.

Cases of armed robberies have been on a sharp increase in Eldoret town and its environs, pointing to a proliferation of arms into the area.

Locals and their leaders have since asked the Government to probe the flow of arms into the area, saying they posed a threat as the country gears up for the 2013 General Elections.