THIKA, Kenya — A police constable from the Special Police Intercept and Verification (SPIV) unit, identified as Bernard Koome, was tragically shot dead on Wednesday evening in Thika West Sub-county. The fatal incident occurred after a routine motorcycle inspection escalated into violence.
Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene. Officer Koome, part of a four-person patrol team, had stopped a motorcycle rider whose motorbike reportedly lacked the mandatory unique registration code required for boda boda (motorcycle taxi) operators in Thika.
Peter Kariuki, a witness, recounted the critical moment: “When one of the officers removed the bike’s ignition key, an argument flared up.” According to reports, the rider, who was eating a pineapple at the time, then overpowered Constable Koome, drew a firearm, and shot him in the throat.
The suddenness of the attack caught the other officers off guard, forcing them to take cover, which allowed the assailant to escape. The gunman then brazenly hijacked another motorcycle near Royale Hotel, ordering its rider and passenger off at gunpoint before speeding away.
He later abandoned the stolen motorcycle near the well-known Mugumo tree, leaving behind a loaded magazine that was subsequently recovered by crime scene investigators.
The severely wounded Constable Koome was rushed to Thika Nursing Home but, tragically, succumbed to his injuries.
Thika DCIO Jacinta Mbaika confirmed the fatal shooting and assured the public that detectives are actively pursuing the assailant. She stated that a comprehensive statement would be issued once preliminary investigations are complete.
SPIV officers regularly conduct these motorcycle inspections to enforce the official identification code, a crucial measure introduced to combat a rise in robberies perpetrated by criminals posing as boda boda riders.
