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HER DREAM TO KILL BOREDOM AT HER AUNT'S LED TO HER DEATH

Out of boredom due to the ongoing nationwide teachers strike, 15 year old Caroline Wanjiku, Mukuruwe-ini, Nyeri County asked her parents to let her visit her aunty in Kiandutu slum until the strike was resolved. Little did she know that this would be her own trip to heaven. Her visit ended on a tragic note after her life was taken by a stray bullet allegedly fired by a police officer. Wanjiku was shot by police officers who had gone to inspect a nearby scrap metal dealership. 

According to eye witnesses, when the found the scrap metal owner and his wife escaped their net, the police arrested a woman worker who was found in the site.  

Hell broke loose when the officers decided to forcefully bundle the woman into their vehicle. When the woman resisted arrest, the officers reportedly started to beat her up. The female officer even went ahead to undress her as they tried to bundle her into the car.

Irked by the officers' uncouth actions, angry residents tried to prevent them from arresting the woman arguing that she had committed no crime as she was just an employee. The angry residents then started pelting stones at the officers who reacted by firing in the air. 

In the ensuing mayhem, the police overpowered the residents after shooting at them three times, with the third bullet hitting Wanjiku as she was standing in a nearby water point. 

On realising that they had shot dead the girl, they sped off to the police station together with the woman they arrested. 

Wanjiku was rushed to Thika Level Five Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

The family of the deceased accused the police of planning to cover up the killing. They are now calling for speedy investigations so that the killers of their daughter can be found and justice be done. 

Wanjiku's father Joseph Warua regretted allowing his daughter to visit her aunt in the slums.

"I wish I declined her request, at least she would alive be today. All we want is for justice to prevail," said Mr Warua.

Wanjiku's aunt Penina Wambui said she suspected the police were out to cover up the crime, by bringing in new theories on the cause of death.

Thika Deputy OCPD Julius Kyumbule exonerated his officers from blame, claiming they were provoked to shoot in self-defence after they were shot at by irate residents.

 "We cannot arrest any officer until we are certain he or she committed the crime. Investigations including a forensic audit are in top gear to ascertain if the bullets used in the murder came from the rifles that our officers had," said Mr Kyumbule.

The residents claim the five police officers, four men and one woman, who were in a private car and in plain clothes had come to collect some money from the scrap metal dealer as they usually did every Friday.

Meanwhile, the woman who was arrested by the police officers during the incident was later released after angry residents stormed Thika Police Station.

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