A magistrate in Kenya has been fatally injured after a senior police officer identified as Samson Kipchirchir Kipruto opened fire on her in open court over a judgment he found unfavourable.
Monica Kivuti, a Makadara Principal Magistrate had decided on a case reportedly involving the wife of the deceased police officer.
He was infuriated following the decision of the Magistrate to revoke his wife’s bail after she had absconded from the court.
After the shooting by Kipruto, who is in charge of a police station in Londiani in western Kenya, other officers in court responded immediately, with one of them shooting the offending policeman and killing him.
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In the ensuing chaotic atmosphere, three other officers were injured, a police report said.
The magistrate and the injured officers are receiving treatment at an undisclosed medical facility.
The magistrate had “cancelled the bond for an accused person who had jumped bond and had failed to offer satisfactory explanations for jumping bond”, the East African judiciary body said.
“Immediately this decision was pronounced, a person shot at the magistrate and injured her on the hip,” it said in a statement.
It noted initial reports that indicated “that the shooter is a police officer who is married to the suspect”.
The national police service said the officer was in the court for “unknown reasons”.
Investigations have been launched to ascertain the circumstances that led to the shooting, it said.
The incident inside a courtroom has come as a shock to Kenyans.
The police in the country, like their counterparts in major African countries have often been accused of being involved in extra-judicial killings but no such incident has been reported inside court.
The judiciary has said it will enhance security measures and has assured judicial staff and other court users of their safety and security.
“As the judiciary family, we wish our colleague a quick recovery. We also send our condolences to the family of the officer who lost his life in this unfortunate incident,” said chief registrar of the judiciary Winfridah Mokaya.
In May, eight operatives of Nigeria’s leading intelligence agency, Department of State Services reportedly stormed Ogun State High Court sitting in Ilaro and whisked away the duo of Alhaji Fatai Isiaka and one Samuel Oyero.
They are defendants in a case of arson with suit number HCP/IC/2023, The State vs. Awode Oladosu and 13 others.
The umbrella body of lawyers in the West African country has described the act as “desecration” of temple of justice.
