A Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer was tragically killed in Mombasa after an altercation with a boda boda rider over a fare dispute escalated into violence.
The incident occurred when the officer hired a motorbike taxi to travel from Likoni Primary to Vyemani Grounds but reportedly refused to pay upon arrival.
When the rider confronted him for the fare, the officer allegedly pulled out an AK-47 rifle, cocked it, and fired warning shots into the air in an attempt to intimidate the rider.
A struggle ensued, during which the officer attempted to flee using the rider’s motorcycle. Members of the public, drawn by the commotion and the rider’s account of events, intervened and attacked the officer, stoning him to death.
During the chaotic incident, two bystanders were injured by stray bullets, while the boda boda rider sustained injuries, including a bitten nose reportedly caused by the officer.
Police officers who responded to the scene recovered the officer’s rifle, 12 rounds of ammunition, four spent cartridges, a motorcycle, and a mobile phone, all of which have been retained as evidence.
The officer’s body has been taken to the Coast General Mortuary for identification and a post-mortem examination.
The injured are being treated at Likoni Sub-County Hospital. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the full circumstances surrounding the altercation and the mob action that followed.
