Police grill Eldoret businessman Kibor and repossess gun after shooting incident

Former politician Jackson Kibor explains to Eldoret West OCPD Samuel Mutunga the unfolding events of a gun incident involving his son on his farm in Kabenes, Uasin Gishu County. [PHOTO: KEVIN TUNOI/STANDARD]

Police in Eldoret yesterday grilled prominent farmer Jackson Kibor and impounded his firearm after he allegedly attempted to shoot his son over a land dispute.

The police officers led by Eldoret West OCPD Samuel Mutunga looked for Mr Kibor for the better part of yesterday morning before they finally found him on his 1,543-acre farm in Kabenes.

The controversial farmer and politician was supervising cultivation on his expansive farm when the officers arrived to interrogate him.

The OCPD said they had repossessed a Ceska pistol with eight rounds of ammunition from Kibor for verification and to establish whether it was obtained legally.

"We will be able to ascertain from the licence that he has given us if the firearm was obtained legally or not," said Mr Mutunga.

But Kibor said his gun licence was genuine, saying he acquired the gun in 1982 and has been renewing it every May since, with no record of misuse.

In footage recorded on a mobile phone camera that went viral on social media sites on Monday, Kibor is seen drawing a pistol and pointing in the direction of his son, Ezekiel Kipng'etich. 

Kibor claimed that Mr Kipng'etich and three other sons armed with crude weapons arrived in a vehicle and he realised they wanted to harm him.

"I was standing here supervising the harrowing of my land before my son, who was with three other persons armed with rungus and machetes, arrived. Ezekiel alighted and charged in my direction. I was reluctant at first but fired in his direction when I realised he meant to hurt me," he told the police.

Kibor said he intentionally fired away from Ezekiel, who had come close to him, because he did not want to kill him but defend himself from the 'attackers'.

FIRED SIDEWAYS

"The gun did not jam. I just fired sideways to ensure he did not come close and harm me. I would only have shot at him if he continued pursuing me but fortunately for us all, he retreated. I have the gun with me and the licence is in the house. My third wife's children have been trying to bar me from cultivating this land, which has a suit pending in court, despite having a court order allowing me to do so," Kibor told the police.

He also told The Standard that his sons intended to set him up using the video recording but it worked against them.

The police officers accompanied the property tycoon to his Chepkoilel home where he lives with fourth wife, Eunita, before heading to Eldoret Police Station where he recorded a statement regarding the incident.

Ezekiel, his son from his third wife Naomi, had made a report at the police station claiming his father had threatened to kill him by firing at him when he tried to access the land in dispute.

"We got the report from the son and today we have gone and talked to Kibor over the matter," said Mutunga.

The OCPD said they would access the statements from both parties to ascertain what charges to press since Kibor claimed he was defending himself.