Officer who shot magistrate had a fiery temper, colleagues reveal

Makadara Law Court was closed after a Magistrate was shot on Thursday, June 13, 2024. [Lilian Chepkoech, Standard] 

Fresh details have emerged about the police officer who was shot dead by his colleagues, moments after attacking and injuring a magistrate at Makadara Law Courts.

Yesterday, the colleagues of Samson Kipchirchir Kipruto described him as a quiet officer who was, however, hot-tempered.

They claimed he always shared with them the condition of his sickly wife and how he was managing to take care of her.

They claimed his decision to attack the magistrate came as a surprise.

He had left his workstation at Londiani Police Station in the company of his wife and had taken a firearm.

An officer who sought anonymity claimed they did not suspect he had plans to attack a magistrate.

“He was a hot-tempered officer and when we told him we lacked fare when called to attend certain meetings he wouldn’t understand,” he said.

The officer, however, noted that Kipruto would always tell them of his sickly wife. His boss Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Agnes Kunga described the late OCS as a hardworking and diligent police officer. “He didn’t have any disciplinary cases,” she said.

In contrast, a section of Londiani residents expressed strong sentiments about the late OCS, 55.

Ben Siele, a resident, described the late Kipruto as a hot-tempered officer who allegedly employed delaying tactics to frustrate residents attempting to report incidents at the station.

“He was complicit in at least two assault cases, one involving the assault of a high school girl by her teacher and another involving the assault of local women in Soget by Kenya Forest Officers,” he said.  

Meanwhile, the Makadara Law Courts incident has raised questions over the security of judicial officers at their workstations.

The incident sparked tension forcing Chief Justice Martha Koome to order suspension of court activities with immediate effect.

When Magistrate Monica Kivuti woke up Thursday to report to her workstation, she did not envision that her day would end in a hospital.

In rare show, Kipruto, OCS Londiani entered stealthily into her courtroom, Court 9, and opened fire.

Kipruto pulled the trigger on the magistrate allegedly for canceling the bond of Jennifer Wairimu, 48, said to be his wife.

Kivuti is currently in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Metropolitan Hospital in Buruburu.

In the melee, three other officers who responded to the 1:48 pm incident were injured.

They were identified as Augustine Michael Kithumbi, Maureen Lepes and Eunice Macharia.

Yesterday, friends and family went to donate blood at the hospital after an appeal was sent out during the day.

Among those who shared the appeal is the Law Society of Kenya representative at the Judicial Service Commission Omwanza Ombati.

Wairimu was accused of obtaining Sh2.9 million by false pretence and the cancellation of her bail by the Magistrate was a result of her failure to show up in court several times.

Reports indicate that her failure to appear was because she was battling illness and Thursday when she appeared she was on oxygen support.

Kipruto once worked as a Divisional Traffic Officer (DTO) in the Buruburu Division. The late OCS had been stationed at the Londiani police station for over a year.