A police officer in Suna East, Migori county, sprayed his wife with 16 bullets from an AK-47 combat rifle before turning the gun on himself.
It was the latest of any cases of mentally disturbed police officers misusing their firearms to to kill or injure and intimate partner, then taking his own life.
The couple’s two-year-old child was in the house but was unharmed in the violence at about 1.40am on Sunday, police said.
Anthony Mwangi Njuguna, 29, had killed his wife Maureen Mora, 27, before taking his own life, police said.
The killing took place at the couple’s rental house at Kawa Junction, about 2km from the police station.
The motive was not immediately established. Neighbours were asking what led to the murder suicide.
Migori police boss Mark Wanjala said neighbours heard a quarrel before hearing gunshots.
According to the police report, the shooting was reported by officer George Mureithi who was on night patrol in Ombo area.
Mureithi reported that a neighbour had called him, informing him that his colleague had shot his wife and himself.
Officers led by the Migori OCS rushed to the scene.
The police report said the officer booked off duty in OB 43/19/02/2022 at 11.10pm. He did not return his firearm before proceeding home.
“He did not hand back his AK-47 to the armoury,”Wanjala said.
“The subject [firearm’s] refill was found at the scene with a magazine containing 13 rounds of 7.62mm special, while 17 cartridges of spent 7.62 cartridges were also recovered,” the police report said.
The bodies were taken to Migori Referral Hospital morgue.
the National Police Service has set up a programme to screen and identify troubled officers, provide counselling and other steps, or in severe cases, retire them from the service.
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