A policeman lost two fingers in a machete attack in Meru County.
The officer attached to Laare police station in Igembe Sub-County suffered a serious hand injury when he was slashed by a machete-wielding theft suspect identified as John.
According to OCS Laare police station Ezra sambo, who spoke to Baite Tv, the officer was in the company of other police officers who had gone to arrest the suspect accused of stealing cattle and goats.
“We had been trailing the suspect for quite some time. The Nyumbakumi elders called me early in the morning to tell us that the suspect was at home. When the cops arrived at his house, he resisted arrest before cutting one of them on the hand,” said Sambo.
The officer who lost his fingers said that the suspect began hurling insults and threatened to kill someone when officers knocked on his door.
“We went to arrest a suspect around 6:00 a.m. and planned to return with the complainant. We knocked on his door when we arrived, and his wife opened it for us before I took two steps inside the house. I was dressed in full uniform, and another officer stood behind me,” said the officer.
As the lights were turned on, John drew back the curtain and looked at us. I saw the suspect bend under his bed and hadn’t dressed. I thought he was reaching for a flashlight, but my colleague noticed he was holding a machete.
“I had placed my hand on the door at the time, and the suspect came over and attempted to cut my hand, but missed and cut the wall instead. I took a step back, shut the door, drew my gun, and pointed it in front of me. The suspect then climbed to the top of the window, and I’m not sure what he stepped on to get there,” said the officer.
The officer said that he held his gun in one hand and a rungu in the other. He said that the suspect snuck half of his body through the window and cut his two fingers.
“The suspect committed a more serious crime when he attacked a police officer. I didn’t attack him, and I took a step back before calling for backup. The backup arrived, and the suspect was apprehended,” said the officer.
According to the John, he had no ill intent toward the police officer and had not planned anything nefarious. He begged for forgiveness and claimed that he did not know they were police officers.
“I got home around 3:00 a.m. and slept for a while before hearing a knock on the door at 4:00 a.m. I suspected armed robbers had come to attack me because I had never been arrested before. On the side of the bed, I had placed the machete I used on the farm,” said John.
“Because it was dark, I had no idea they were cops, but when I realized I had cut one of them, I was shocked. When I realized I was going to be arrested and detained, I became speechless. The thought of officers showing up at my door had never occurred to me,” said John.
John said that when he unlocked the door, the police officer did not enter. He said that he swung the machete once before closing the door and because it was dark, he couldn’t see clearly.
Sambo said that a reinforcement team was dispatched, and the suspect was apprehended and detained.
“I urge civilians not to take the law into their own hands, and if they are caught committing a crime, they should expect to be arrested and charged. The officer was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries,” said Sambo.
Sambo said the police officers cannot operate properly without the assistance of Nyumbikumi elders and members of the community. He implored them to work with the police so that they can help each other.
“The suspect was on our wanted list, and we had informed the chief and Nyumbakumi elders that we needed their help in apprehending the suspect. I commend the officer for remaining calm despite the fact that he was armed. He did shoot the suspect even after his gun fell to the ground after he was cut on the hand,” said Sambo.
Sambo said that the other officers did not shoot the suspect because he was hiding behind his wife and the charges were not serious enough that the officers felt compelled to shoot.
