Two police officers escaped death by a whisker after angry residents attacked them as they attempted to rescue a miraa driver from a mob that was baying for their blood at Nyangati village in Kirinyaga County.
The residents set upon the officers with sticks and whips seriously injuring them during the early morning attack.
The victims were taken to Kimbimbi Sub-County Hospital for treatment.
It all started when a miraa vehicle which was heading to Nairobi from Meru hit and killed a boda boda rider on the treacherous Embu/Mwea Road.
Soon after the accident, the residents confronted the driver and started beating him up in protest.
However, police acting on a tip-off drove to the scene and found the driver bleeding on the head and as they were rescuing the drive, the irate mob turned on them.
The residents without any care in the world thrashed the officers with rungus and other crude weapons, injuring the two seriously.
It took the intervention of a contingent of police to save the lives of their colleagues officers and rescued them from the wrath of the attackers.
During the skirmishes, one of the residents accused of being involved in the brutal attack was arrested and whisked off to Wang’uru police station.
Mwea East Deputy police boss, Mr. Luka Chebet confirmed the incident and condemned the attacks adding that more suspects were being pursued.
“l can assure you that all those who wounded the officers while on official duty will be pursued , arrested, and prosecuted,” he warned.
Mr Chebet noted that were it not for quick intervention by the two officers the driver would have been killed.
“Police acted fast and managed to save the driver from the residents’ wrath who wanted to eliminate him,” he said.
Speaking to the press later, the residents said they were unhappy with increasing fatal accidents caused by reckless miraa drivers on the busy highway.
“Several people have lost their lives and others maimed through accidents in this area and police are doing nothing to tame rogue drivers,” one of the residents said.
