One dies as gunmen raid Awasi market, Kisumu County

By HEZRON OCHIEL

KISUMU; KENYA: One person died and another nursing serious injuries after heavily armed gangsters raided Kisumu County’s Awasi market.

The eight robbers wielding rifles stormed the market on Saturday night and ordered everyone in one of the shops to lie down.

“Eight robbers armed with rifles came to our shop and ordered us to lie down. They first shot on the wall to scare away people, then, followed by sporadic gunfire in the air. The robbers made away with Sh300, 000 and airtime valued at Sh10, 000,” said William Oketch, a seller in the shop.

The gunmen who were shooting in the air then headed to another home belonging to a prominent businessman in the market and accosted him while he was closing his gate.

“They drew guns and killed him on the spot. They then headed to his house and sprayed bullets on the door and went away without stealing anything. We heard gunfire and got scared and closed all doors,” said Jacinta Auma, the deceased relative.

She said all went silent for 30 minutes before people started screaming and they opened their doors, only to see John Odhiambo lying in a pool of blood at the gate.

Ojoki Ajwang said it was abnormal for heavily armed gunmen to strike a market that is few meters from a police station.

He said there is need for officers who have served at the station for more than 10 years to be transferred.

The incident which occurred 50 meters from the police station has left residents in shock.

Nyando OCPD Elias Gitonga told The Standard that they were treating the incident as a normal robbery, adding that no arrested had been made

He said the injured woman was nursing gunshot wounds at the Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu. She was shot in the leg.

In another incident, two children were burnt beyond recognition after their house was gutted by fire in Kaloo village in Ahero.

According to the relatives, the two children aged seven and five years were sleeping alone in the house when their parents had gone to a funeral in the neighbourhood.

“We heard screams and shouts coming from our home, and when we arrived, the house was on fire. It was hard to salvage even a single item,” said, Calleb Ouma, a relative.

The area OCPD confirmed the incident, saying it was the work of an arsonist.

“This is somebody who was out to kill. We are pursuing a suspect as investigations continue,” he said.

The bodies were taken to Jaramogi Oginga Teaching and Referral Hospital’s mortuary.