Police in Migori county have launched investigations into an incident where a secondary school student was allegedly shot dead by a police officer.
The form two student at Akala Secondary School was reportedly caught by a stray bullet as the police tried to disperse a crowd attempting to lynch a suspected female thief.
According to Ellar, an eye witness, the boy was shot dead as the police tried to calm a commotion that erupted after arresting the suspect at Wath Ong'er market.
The eye witness said the police were called in by Migori County Askaris who were getting overpowered by the crowd that was baying for the suspect's blood.
“The Police arrived at the scene and started shooting in the air to scare the mob. Unfortunately, the 17-year-old boy was shot dead by a stray bullet fired by a police officer,” he told the Standard.
Confirming the incident, Migori County Police Commander Joseph Nthenge cleared the police of the blame, saying that the bullet was a stray one and cannot be associated with his officers.
He termed it a normal accident, saying that no one shot at the student who, according to relatives, was not part of the crowd.
“It was a stray bullet, a stray bullet is not a police bullet, it was not aimed at anybody, it is just like an accident,” said Nthenge.
The boy died while being rushed to the Migori County Level Four Hospital and his body was taken to the same facility's mortuary.