Lamu Senator in gun drama, woman hurt

A 32-year-old woman is nursing gunshot wounds at the Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital after a confrontation erupted between her and Lamu Senator Anwar Loitiptip.

Police reports seen by The Standard show the incident that left Joy Makena with gunshot injuries took place at Kanu Grounds in Nanyuki town, Laikipia County.

“Joy Makena, aged 32 years was shoot [sic] on her right leg above the ankle after a quarrel ensued between her and the senator Lamu county Hon. Anwar,” part of the police report read.

According to the police, they received a tip-off from the public who notified Nanyuki Police Station of a shooting incident at 2am on Saturday night.

It is then that the officers launched investigations, visited the scene, and recovered a firearm with 13 bullets from Senator Anwar’s security detail.

When sought for comment, Anwar said he was attacked at the hotel in Nanyuki and had shot in the air to scare his attackers away.

Speaking to The Standard via a phone call on Sunday morning, the legislator said he had gone for a checkup and would release a statement on his account of events afterwards.

"I am at a hospital for some checkup and will speak on the matter later, but the truth is that I was attacked by a knive-wielding gang last night," he said.

The senator did not disclose the hospital he went to for the checkup.

Police said the lawmaker’s whereabouts are yet to be established and that Makena was in stable condition. 

Later in the day Onesmus Towett, the County Criminal Investigations Officer (CCIO) for Laikipia, said the police received a call at about 2.00 pm from members of the public.

"We established that the senator had already travelled to Nairobi but we called him and he told us that he had been confronted by two women and a man and that he shot in self-defence," said Towett.

Towett said the Senator had informed police that he had also been injured in the incident and was seeking medical attention in Nairobi.