Questions as bandits rescue their wounded commander from police custody
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Bandits rescue their wounded commander from police custody who was hospitalized at Iten County Referral Hospital
Bandits rescue their wounded commander from police custody who was hospitalized at Iten County Referral Hospital.
In a shocking and daring move, armed bandits raided a hospital in Iten town and rescued their colleague who was undergoing treatment after being injured in a banditry raid.
The freed suspect had been placed under hospital arrest after being shot in a gun battle with police.
Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wesley Rotich blamed the police for laxity following a dramatic incident.
“This patient had one gunshot wound to the chest. He had been managed from Wednesday last week… He was stable and he was due to be discharged when he was taken,” said Dr. Castral Mukala, the Medical Superintendent at the health facility.
The move by the suspected bandits, according to area Governor Rotich, comes after a failed attempt to escape from the hospital ward.
“The patient attempted to escape at around 7 pm but security agents were able to foil the escape attempt,” said Rotich.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism as aiding a suspect to escape or freeing a suspect is one of the instances where police are cleared by the national police standing orders to use lethal force.
According to the police, even though the circumstances called for the use of deadly force, they opted not to intervene in order to spare the lives of hospital patients and personnel.
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“The officers at the hospital assessed the situation and opted not to open fire since there were many civilians who would have been caught in the crossfire,” Iten OCPD Tom Makori said.
What is even more perplexing is that there were 10 police officers sent to secure the suspect; 4 were in the ward and 6 were manning the main gate, which is the same gate the armed bandits used to enter the hospital, in what the governor terms sabotage by a section of officers.
“Even last week when there was an attack, I called the local police in Arror for almost five hours but it is the military that responded before the officers who were just 2 kilometers away,” said Rotich.
The man identified as Dennis Kemboi was under investigation over banditry in Kerio Valley and police intended to put him in custody.
It has also emerged that suspect rescued was a bandit commander.
The police report said nobody was injured during confrontation. Police officers combed the area but were not immediately able to make any arrests.
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