Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti is currently receiving medical treatment after being wounded in a shooting at Makadara Law Courts. She was shot in the thigh shortly after delivering a ruling in a case involving the wife of a senior police officer from Kericho County, identified later as the OCS Londiani, who had come to Nairobi for the hearing.
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Sources reported that an argument erupted before the police officer opened fire on the magistrate.
Due to space constraints, the court session was held in a tent outside the main buildings. After the magistrate gave her ruling, the officer went behind the tent and attempted to kill her.
“She has been shot and rushed to the hospital,” an officer who witnessed the incident told the Nation by phone. He mentioned that the shooter was immediately shot dead by his colleagues who were providing security at the court.
In a statement, Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Winfridah B. Mokaya confirmed that the incident occurred during an open court session.
“The Magistrate cancelled the bond for an accused person (the officer’s wife) who had jumped bond and failed to provide satisfactory explanations for her actions. Immediately after this decision was announced, someone shot at the magistrate, injuring her in the hip,” Mokaya said.
Preliminary reports indicate that the shooter was a police officer married to the suspect. “As the Judiciary family, we wish our colleague a speedy recovery. We also extend our condolences to the family of the officer who lost his life in this unfortunate incident,” the statement read. “We urge for calm among all court users as law enforcement agencies continue to investigate this incident.”
More information to follow…
