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NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Nairobian

Two men enter sin city looking for love, but one ends up dead

Newsbeat & Tech

By Bernard Lusigi | Aug 04, 2024

Boaz Katiech, who survived the bullet wounds from police. {Photo/ Benard Lusigi.}

Butere constituency in Kakamega County is known for strange things. The area has been in the limelight for cattle rustling, human trafficking, and insecurity with the emergence of gangs.

But unknown to many, the area has cases of young men fleeing to neighbouring areas, such as Khwisero constituency to pick up girls. And they do this mainly at night.

On Tuesday last week around 11 pm, the night that was meant to be full of love for two young men ended in tragedy. One was allegedly shot by police officers while his friend was left nursing serious injuries. This was after officers from Khwisero Police Station reportedly mistook them with criminals who had come to steal from one of the entertainment joints.

It is said that the two had gone to pick up their girlfriends who work in one of the entertainment joints in Khwisero.

Boaz Katiech, a survivor, said they had gone to pick up their girlfriends when police officers opened fire on them, leading to the death of his friend Daniel Lukochwa.

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“We were waiting for them on the road when we saw two people coming where we were standing. I felt in my heart they had bad intentions. Within a blink of an eye, I saw my friend on the ground. I didn’t even know he had been shot. Unfortunately, he died,” said Katiech.

Katiech said they had already alerted their girlfriends that they were around and were waiting for them. He said the police fired six shots and they left thinking they were both dead.

“Three shots were fired at me in the back. I don’t know how I escaped with all those bullets in my body,” said Katiech.

The two women they had gone to pick, and who sought anonymity, told The Nairobian that they were changing before leaving the entertainment joint where they worked when they were also attacked by a man armed with a machete.

“He stormed in asking for our boss. My friend called a police officer who is her friend to rescue us,” she said adding that the attacker had reached her boss.

She added: “My boss was overwhelmed and I went to help him. We managed to throw the man out. Suddenly, we heard the sound of gunshots. Little did we know our boyfriends had been shot?”

The girl said police opened fire on their lovers after they found them standing outside, near the entertainment joint, where they worked. The police officers thought they were part of the criminal gang that had stormed the area to steal.

Khwisero sub-county police boss James Momanyi said they have launched investigations into the matter, promising to unravel the puzzle surrounding the shootings.

“We cannot preempt. We have left it to the detectives to help us find out exactly what happened. Let the investigative agencies do their work so that we can act based on their findings,” said Momanyi.

Ms Dorine Kusa, from SAMREEN, a human rights organization, said they are working with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to ensure they get to the bottom of the matter with a view to bringing the culprits to book.