Despite the presence of police, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki recounted how bandits were able to rescue one of their own at Iten Referral Hospital.
Speaking before the National Assembly on Wednesday, the injured bandit said he couldn’t explain the injuries on his body.
“Because they came through the hospital fence, we believe the people who came to rescue him were criminals.” They came to help one of their own who had been injured.
“The reason that happened despite the presence of a few police officers on-site at the time was the commanding officer’s determination that a shootout inside that facility would have resulted in fatalities of the patients, and that gave a leeway for the rescue to succeed,” Kindiki explained.
However, the Interior CS underlined that the suspect had been on police radar and would shortly be taken into custody.
“We want to make it clear that this person was on the police’s radar even before the attack; we are after him; we have some leads; and we think we will be able to apprehend him quickly,” added Kindiki.
A day after the robbers broke into a hospital in Iten town and rescued a colleague who was receiving treatment after being hurt in a banditry raid, Kindiki responded. Authorities intended to capture the injured bandit, who was being probed for banditry in Kerio Valley.
The suspect was scheduled for release and was in stable condition, according to police reports. Six police officers were patrolling the hospital’s main gate at the time of the raid, while four were at the bandit’s ward. Then, a group of ten young guys armed with rifles assaulted the building, smashed windows, and freed the suspect from the clutches of the police. The incident didn’t result in any injuries.