Police in Iten have launched investigations into an incident where gun-wielding men reportedly raided Iten County Referral Hospital and escaped with a victim of a bandit attack.
The Nation reports that more than 10 men heavily armed men with AK-47 riffles stormed the facility on Monday at 2 am and took off with the patient who had been shot.
Elgeyo Marakwet County Commissioner John Korir said the patient was shot on Wednesday at Kapchemutta in Marakwet West when bandits raided the area, injuring three people.
“This is very scary and we have launched investigations into the incident. We want to establish why the victim escaped from the hospital in such a manner,” Korir said.
The county commissioner said at around midnight, police officers were alerted over the raid and security officers were deployed to the hospital.
“A team of armed police was deployed and as they were still processing to secure the patient, the armed men stormed the ward and escaped with him. The officers combed the hospital precincts to no avail and the motive of the escape and those who carried it out is under investigation,” he said.
A medical worker at the hospital who sought anonymity said the armed men gained access to the health facility through the fence.
“The men gained access to the hospital after cutting through the wire mesh fence and into the ward where the patient who had been shot in the chest was undergoing treatment. If such raids can be carried out in a hospital, who is safe?” the worker posed as quoted by the Nation.
Elgeyo Marakwet Police Commander Francis Nguli added that the patient had been treated and was ready for discharge when police officers got word there was a plan to rescue him by his accomplices.
“Four police officers went to the ward to help secure his discharge while the other six officers were manning the main hospital gate,” read the police statement with the OB No. 02 of 10/04/2023.
“At about 0210 hours, the patient was discharged and immediately, at the entrance of the ward, a group of ten young men smashed windows and managed to rescue the patient from police officers.”
Nguli said the officers did not want to cause a scene at the hospital.
“We didn’t want to cause a lot of commotion because we were in a hospital. There were so many patients there, we had to have some diplomacy because the issue of shooting could have worsened the health of patients,” said Nguli.
