Tuesday November 13, 2018
Calm has returned in Rhamo area of Mandera North Sub-County after the death of a middle aged woman.
The woman identified as Abdia Omar was allegedly shot by police officers on patrol on Saturday night and succumbed to injuries.The police had a tip off that a person was selling bhang and were pursuing him in a residential house, before Omar from the same residential home was shot by police.
Youths took to the streets on Sunday morning protesting against police “brutality” in the area.
Abdi Hassan Gedow, a resident in Rhamo town told KNA that Omar was shot dead by police on patrol after she defied orders to stop for normal police check.
“We regret that we have lost one of our girls to police brutality which should not have occurred as Omar was unarmed,” said Gedow.
Mandera North Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), Kiplagat Tarus while speaking to KNA on phone on Sunday said the situation had returned to normal with police doing everything possible to prevent further loss of life.
The DCC said he could not ascertain what happened leading to the death of the woman.
“At the moment I cannot say what happened as police were on patrol, but one person succumbed to gun shots though there were no known criminals in the area during Saturday night shooting,” said the DCC.
“A team from the District Criminal investigations office from Mandera town has been dispatched to Rhamo on a fact finding mission to establish what led to the death,” he added.
Kiplagat said a police officer is nursing serious injuries in the county hospital as he was attacked in a residential home.
He said he has been holding meetings with Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), the cleric and elders to restore calm in the area.
Mandera governor and area political leadership held a celebration two weeks ago to mark peaceful co-existence of communities in the area.
Roba urged residents to live in peace for speedy development of the region.
In 2013, Rhamo was an epicenter for clan clashes, pitting the Garre and Degodia, emanating from struggle between the two clans on political representation in the county and national government.