Two police officers on foot patrol in Ruai, Nairobi, were seriously wounded early on Tuesday when a group of men on motorcycles set upon them and made off with their rifles, The Star, Kenya reports. The officers were attacked at roughly 1am, and both service weapons — loaded AK-47s — were taken in the incident.
The officers were named as Corporal John Maritim and Corporal Felistus Tuitoek. According to a police report cited by The Star, Kenya, members of the public who came across the scene arranged for the injured pair to be taken to Reale Hospital in Utawala for treatment.
Why it matters
The loss of two working rifles in a single attack is a serious matter for local policing in Nairobi's eastern outskirts. Each weapon left the scene with a full magazine of 30 rounds, according to the report, meaning the firearms are immediately usable by whoever now holds them.
The case also points to the exposure of officers working on foot in the early hours. The two were carrying out beat duties when they were set upon, and the police account describes wounds consistent with a blade rather than gunfire — deep cuts to the head and injuries to the hands.
What the police report says about the officers' condition
A team led by the Ruai Sub-County Police Commander went to the hospital after the attack and found both officers in a serious state.
Maritim had a deep wound to the back of his head and damage to his hands, and he was not responding when officers reached the hospital, per the report. Tuitoek had a similar deep cut to the rear of her head and injuries to both hands, but she was conscious and able to respond.
The Star, Kenya reports that the attackers fled with the two AK-47s. One was recorded as serial number 5524217, the weapon issued to Maritim; the other carried serial number 5525776.
Pursuit and investigation
Additional officers were sent into the area to hunt for the attackers and to try to recover the two rifles. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations unit in Ruai has taken charge of the file.
Police have classified the matter as robbery with violence, together with injury to police officers. The inquiry remains open, and the force has said more information will be released as the search for the gang and the missing weapons continues.
The Star, Kenya's account does not say how many people were in the group, whether any arrests have been made, or what condition the two officers are in beyond the initial hospital visit.
What to watch: whether the two rifles are recovered and whether anyone is detained as the DCI in Ruai continues its investigation.
