A tragic event unfolded in Kitui as law enforcement officers were compelled to take action against criminal activity within the community. In a startling turn of events, a pastor was fatally shot by police officers during an attempted robbery at a shop in Kavisuni market, located within the county.
According to the official police statement, the identity of the pastor involved has been withheld. Shockingly, the pastor was accompanied by a member of his congregation during the commission of the robbery.
On the evening of March 27, 2024, concerned citizens reported a robbery in progress at Discovery Stores within the Kavisuni shopping center, prompting a swift response from officers stationed at the Kavisuni police post.
Upon reaching the scene, law enforcement encountered two individuals engaged in the criminal act. When confronted by the officers, one of the suspects brandished a firearm, prompting the police to take decisive action. Regrettably, one suspect was fatally wounded during the confrontation, while the other managed to flee on foot, albeit with suspected gunshot injuries.
Prior to the intervention of law enforcement, the robbers had forcibly entered Discovery Stores, where they subdued both the night watchman, identified as Paul Makau, aged 47, and the store owner, Athanus Muli, aged 45. During the ordeal, the perpetrators seized cash amounting to Ksh5,050, along with two mobile phones valued at Ksh13,000 each, belonging to the victims. Additionally, they coerced the store owner into divulging his Mpesa pin, subsequently executing an unauthorized transfer of his funds.
Following the incident, police were able to recover the stolen cash, a double-edged sword, a toy pistol, a Techno mobile phone, and a motorcycle bearing registration number KMGD118K.
The deceased suspect’s body was transported to the Kitui Referral Hospital mortuary for further examination and identification. Subsequent investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) revealed that the individual killed in the altercation was, in fact, a pastor affiliated with a local church in Kitui County.
Further revelations from law enforcement shed light on the pastor’s deceptive actions leading up to the robbery. Reportedly, the pastor, who oversees two churches, had misled an acquaintance by claiming to be transporting church equipment while borrowing a motorbike for the criminal endeavor.
Eyewitnesses corroborated the pastor’s respected stature within the community and his leadership role within the church, adding a layer of complexity to the shocking events that transpired.
