Policeman who stole gun, scared locals in shooting spree charged

By , K24 Digital
On Wed, 16 Oct, 2019 15:49 | < 1 min read
police firearm
A policewoman is in hiding after shooting and injuring her husband in Kisumu County. PHOTO | FILE
A police officer. PHOTO | COURTESY

A police constable who was arrested for unnecessarily firing 20 shots in the air has been charged before a Nyahururu court with misuse of firearm.

Constable Peter Waithaka Wahome pleaded guilty to two counts of misuse of firearm and destruction of property when he appeared before Nyahururu Senior Resident Magistrate James Wanyanga.

The officer who is based at Mawingu police post was charged that on Sunday, October 13, 2019 at Mawingu area in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County, he drew his rifle and aimlessly fired some twenty rounds of ammunition.

A second count stated that on the same day while at the Mawingu police post, the policeman deliberately destroyed a padlock worth Sh450 using his rifle. 

The court heard that the accused had broken into the armory at the police post where the firearm had been locked, taken it and gone shooting around Mawingu area.

He was later arrested and disarmed by colleagues who took him to Ol Kalou Police Station where he was charged.

The court ordered that he be remanded at Ol Kalou Police Station until October 17, 2019 when the case will be mentioned.

Meanwhile in the same courtroom, two night guards were charged with stealing church items worth Shs255, 000.

The two, Peter Ngetich and Henry Rop, denied the charges of conspiring and orchestrating the theft of two speakers and television sets at the Nyahururu ACK Church where they worked, on October 12, 2019.

They were also charged with an alternative count of neglecting their duty.

The court freed them on Sh10,000 cash bail each until February 24, 2020 when the case will be heard.