A stand-off between members of the public and a group of four who included police officers lasted for hours after the latter was cornered forcefully stealing from a shopkeeper in Chepterwai in Nandi County.
William Limo, 38, in a report filed at Chepterwai police station said that he was in his shop when four men who included two police officers stormed the premises and started searching for counterfeit cigarettes.
“The four said that they were looking for counterfeit Mastermind cigarettes. The two civilians introduced themselves as officials from Mastermind Tobacco Limited. They never got the cigarettes and later handcuffed him. He alleged to have been robbed off Ksh 160,000,” the report read in part.
As they were escorting him to an unknown destination, Limo raised alarm and members of the public responded and rescued him from the four.
During the commotion of trying to rescue the shopkeeper, the police officers were forced to fire one round of ammunition and later ran towards Chepterwai police station and reported the matter.
Officers at the station responded swiftly and rushed to the scene where they found a Toyota Noah car of registration number KCA 479P.
The two officers who were involved in the saga had also tipped their boss who is the OCS Turbo police station about the matter.
As this went on, the crowd at the scene was piling up but was later controlled and the two officers- identified as Evans Odhiambo and William Kitur were disarmed
The two civilians were identified as Eric Kimathi who was found in possession of Ksh 19,230 and Esborn Ratemo who was found in possession of Ksh 3,150.
Currently, the two civilians are being grilled by detectives at the station while the two officers were released and are expected to record statements at Kabiyet police station later today.
