A senior Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer is in police custody after allegedly shooting and injuring a boda boda rider during a road rage incident in Imenti South Sub-county, Meru.
Chief Inspector David Kipkoech Somme, who heads the DCI in the area, reportedly shot 25-year-old Festus Mutegi Kirimi in the abdomen after a heated confrontation last Wednesday. Investigations show that Somme trailed the boda boda rider from Kionyo stage to his drop-off point before drawing his firearm and opening fire.
“Please be informed that Chief Inspector David Kipkoech Somme, the SCCIO Imenti South Sub-County, has been arrested in connection with the shooting incident that occurred on April 2, 2025, within Nkubu township,” a brief sent to police headquarters stated.
Boda Boda Rider Recounts Being Gunned Down by DCI Officer
Kirimi told investigators that he was at Kionyo stage with his motorcycle when he encountered a G-Touring car with a man and woman inside. A confrontation broke out, prompting him to speed off toward Kiigene market, where he intended to drop a passenger.
As he approached the gate of Winners Academy, Kirimi said the male occupant of the trailing car pulled out a pistol and shot him in the right side of his abdomen before speeding off toward Nkubu township.
Police officers from Nkubu Police Station rushed to the scene after angry residents blocked the road in protest. They managed to calm the crowd and rushed the injured rider to Consolata Mission Hospital, where he remains in stable condition.
“No spent cartridges were recovered at the scene, though fresh blood stains were visible on the ground,” a police report noted.
While the motive behind the shooting is still under investigation, authorities believe it stemmed from the earlier road rage altercation.
Following the incident, the National Police Service headquarters issued a stern warning to all officers, urging them not to exceed the necessary use of force when handling confrontations. The Service made it clear that only officers who act within the law and under justifiable circumstances will receive institutional support.
Another Boda Boda Rider Shot by Officer
This is not the first recent case involving a police officer and a boda boda rider.
On March 27, another DCI officer from Molo in Nakuru County was arrested and disarmed after allegedly shooting and seriously injuring Edwin Keitany. The incident followed an altercation involving a female passenger, who was later identified as the officer’s wife.
Keitany sustained severe head injuries and underwent brain surgery to remove bullet fragments. While recovering in hospital, he recorded a statement with the Independent Policing and Oversight Authority (IPOA), which is investigating the shooting.
“When we arrived, I found a man waiting, and he asked me where I was coming with his wife. A confrontation broke out and I felt pain and bleeding,” Keitany recounted.
Both incidents have sparked fresh concerns over firearm misuse by law enforcement officers during personal disputes.
