Detectives have arrested a police officer accused of killing his colleague in Luanda, Vihiga County, after being on the run for more than two months. The suspect was apprehended on November 4 following the fatal shooting of Constable Nicholas Samoei, which occurred on August 22, 2025.
According to police reports, the suspect was tracked to a house in the Luanda area after detectives received information on his whereabouts. He was cornered and arrested without resistance. During the August incident, the officer allegedly shot his colleague at close range, killing him instantly, before escaping with the deceased’s CZ rifle. The weapon has not yet been recovered, and a search operation is ongoing.
Constable Samoei’s body was discovered in a room adjacent to a store containing several bags of government-supplied fertilizer. Both officers had been assigned to guard the facility as part of a security detail protecting subsidized fertilizer distribution. Investigators recovered 26 spent cartridges outside the room, including 20 of 9mm caliber and six of 7.62 special rounds, along with one live bullet. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, but detectives are pursuing several leads.
The incident adds to a worrying trend of violent confrontations and mental health challenges within the police service. Recent months have seen a rise in cases involving officers turning their weapons on colleagues or civilians. In a separate incident in Kitui County, another police officer killed two women in August before abandoning his rifle and disappearing.
To address the growing crisis, the National Police Service has intensified mental health awareness programs across the country. A counseling and wellness unit has been established to provide psychological support, substance abuse prevention, and stress management for officers facing emotional strain.
Meanwhile, in a separate case, Constable Benson Limo from Kagwi Police Station in Kiambu County died in a road accident along the Kapenguria–Kitale highway. He was struck by a speeding vehicle while on a motorcycle during his leave, sustaining fatal head injuries. His body was moved to a local hospital mortuary pending a post-mortem examination.
The investigations into the Luanda killing and the missing firearm continue.
