A tragic incident unfolded at Salama Police Post, Lakipia West on Friday evening, when a police officer reportedly stabbed and killed his colleague and injured a senior officer following an altercation.
According to reports, Police Constable Victor Chesang’ Mengich, 42, was on duty when he attacked Police Constable Abel Kivoto Kimanzi. The dispute escalated outside the Salama shopping centre, where members of the public intervened to separate the officers.
Witnesses said that Sergeant Wahome Muigai Muiruri, the officer in charge of the post, heard the commotion and rushed to the scene. He found PC Mengich armed with a knife. During the confrontation, PC Mengich stabbed PC Kimanzi in the left side of the stomach, leading to his immediate collapse. Despite attempts to save him, PC Kimanzi succumbed to his injuries on the spot.
Sgt. Muigai, along with another officer, Morris Mugambi, tried to subdue PC Mengich but sustained injuries in the process. It was eventually the intervention of nearby members of the public that allowed the assailant to be restrained and handcuffed.
Both PC Mengich and Sgt. Muigai were taken to Salama Dispensary for initial treatment before being referred to Nyahururu County and Referral Hospital. They sustained head and arm injuries. Sgt. Muigai has since been treated and discharged, while PC Mengich remains in custody at Nyahururu Police Station as investigations into the incident continue.
Authorities from Nyahururu Police Station processed the scene and transferred PC Kimanzi’s body to Pope Benedict XVI Catholic Hospital Mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
Remembering PC Abel Kivoto Kimanzi
PC Kimanzi was among 20 police officers honoured on December 9, 2025, by the Chandaria Foundation for exceptional courage and dedication during the annual Chandaria Bravery Awards. The ceremony, presided over by Inspector General Douglas Kanja, took place at the National Police Service headquarters.
The investigation into the altercation is ongoing, as authorities seek to establish the circumstances that led to this tragic incident.
