Anti-government protesters looted and torched the home of Bondo township Location Chief Walter Omollo.
The incident unfolded as Chief Omollo was leaving his office, and he allegedly made a misguided statement to an anti-riot officer, instructing them to take extreme measures to calm the tense situation that had engulfed the region.
Death of Bondo protestor
Tragically, a protester named David Agan from Siala Kaduol, south Gem Ward, was reportedly shot by the police while picking up a discarded teargas canister, merely an hour after the protests in Bondo had subsided.
“We had completed the Thursday demonstration peacefully and we spotted the chief pointing at Agan who was picking the teargas canister shell,” the source who sought anonymity said.
The source said they heard a gunshot and saw Agan lying in a pool of cold blood at the gate of Bondo police station.
“As we ran to save him, but we found him already dead, that’s what triggered the youths' anger and acted by riding their motorbikes to Nyamira village where they looted the home and set a ablaze the house,” the source revealed.
Omollo alerts wifes
Omollo denied the allegations saying he did not direct the officer to shoot the deceased as claimed by certain quarters.
Omollo said sensing danger, he left the office secretly while riding on a motorbike of his cousin and was dropped at Koyucho junction only to receive a phone call from one of my informers that the rioters were heading to my home.
“The allegations of aiding the death of the deceased are not true. The youths were out to loot my property and after the alert, I called my wife and gardener to vacate the home immediately so as not to form part of the casualties,” said Omollo.
“The looters took valuables, 22 bags of maize, 4 sacks of beans, 9 turkeys, Thousands of shillings (chama funds) and torched the house and my motorbike,” said Omollo.
Omollo said Thursday's demonstration was not peaceful at all.
Not fed up with the destruction at home, the protesters went to my shop at Migingo in Bondo sub-County and looted it after gaining forceful entry.
“The shop am told is empty, everything was looted," he revealed
Omollo blamed the police for not acting despite getting numerous calls.
“It’s so unfortunate that the police whom we thought could respond to our distress failed to pick up our calls,” said Omollo adding that the OCS only visited his home this morning.
Siaya Police Commandant Michael Mushiri said the officers responded by protecting the home of the assistant chief since they were now the soft targets of the protesters.
On Wednesday, one succumbed to gunshot wounds while three more are still nursing injuries at Bondo-sub-County hospital.
Bondo medical superintendent Michael Oduor confirmed that three persons are still nursing injuries.
