BY SAM ALFAN.
A Nairobi court has heard how a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldier shot dead a civilian after he attempted to grab his gun at the Garissa military camp two years ago.
Julius Muiruri, a KDF officer attached to forward maintenance area military camp based at Garissa County, told Milimani senior principal magistrate Esther Kimilu that his colleague shot an unknown person twice in the chest after he tried to grab his rifle.
The officer was testifying in an inquest into the death of Abdullahim Kassif Yusuf aged about 28. The incident occurred on August 1, 2018 at the main gate of the military camp.
Muiruri recalled that on the material day, while on duty as sentry guard duty officer together with his fellow soldiers, an unknown adult man came towards them. “As usual we do require any person approaching our sentry to identify himself or herself the moment enters the first gate,” he said.
He said that in this case the unknown person was asked to identify himself by one of the officers but he did not comply. Instead he attempted to grab his rifle prompting Hussein to shoot him twice in the chest.
Muiruri added that the man died instantly as he tried to remove something from his pocket.
“After shooting the unknown man, the guard commander took over the scene where all senior officers and other officers came to the scene,” the court was told.
The victim’s lawyer, Steve Mogaka questioned why the officer did not shoot the deceased on the legs to immobilize him. The witness confirmed that the bullet landed on the deceased’s chest and not the legs.
He said the officer shot the deceased on the chest which meant he was facing him.
The hearing continues.
