A police officer, Jackson Kipkoech Konga, who was discovered responsible of killing his supervisor, Sergeant Christopher Kimeli, in Nakuru in 2023, has been sentenced to a 30-year jail time period.
The High Court in Nakuru discovered Konga responsible of murdering Kimeli on August 8, 2023, on the K9 Unit Dog Section in Nakuru County.
According to the prosecution, Konga had been assigned an AK-47 rifle, serial quantity BK 5804, with 30 rounds of ammunition the earlier night, August 7, and deployed for evening sentry responsibility at Gate B alongside his colleague, Samson Kigo.
At round 4 a.m. the next morning, different officers arrived on the station with two suspects. During routine inspection, Sergeant Kimeli ordered that the suspects be taken to the reporting workplace.
A witness testified {that a} heated confrontation adopted between Konga and Kimeli, after the latter allegedly berated him for failing to escort the suspects, calling him a “idiot.”
Konga reportedly complained that Kimeli had insulted him and even threatened to “end” him.
“Konga cocked his gun and went outdoors whereas Kimeli, after reserving the suspects, adopted him. Suddenly, we heard gunshots. Konga stated he had completed him and surrendered his gun, asking to be arrested,” the witness stated.
Francis Karori, a ballistic professional, testified that the spent cartridge and the 29 remaining rounds of ammunition had been from the AK-47 assigned to Konga, based mostly on distinctive firing pin markings.
Dr. Titus Ngulungu, the pathologist who performed the postmortem, stated the bullet exited from the again, leaving a 40mm wound on the higher chest.
He confirmed that the reason for demise was a single close-range gunshot wound that broken the lungs, coronary heart, and spinal wire.
In his defence, Konga claimed that Sergeant Kimeli had questioned why the suspects had not been taken to Nakuru Central Police Station.
“He referred to as me silly and claimed I didn’t know my work. I didn’t react, he taunted and insulted me within the presence of different officers, grabbing my firearm,” he added.
Konga stated a wrestle ensued, throughout which the gun’s nozzle pointed at Kimeli’s chest, and the set off went off.
He claimed Kimeli had adopted him for about 50 meters earlier than the taking pictures and insisted he had no intention to kill.
However, Justice Julius Nangea dominated that though Konga may have been angered by the insults, this didn’t quantity to grave or sudden provocation enough to downgrade the offence from homicide.
“The accused should have recognized that taking pictures somebody within the chest would doubtless trigger demise. This act was pushed by malice aforethought,” the choose stated.
