Police Officer Fatally Shot in Thika During Motorcycle Check

• Jun 19, 2025

A police officer was fatally shot in Thika on Wednesday evening during a routine patrol involving the verification of motorcycle registration codes.

The officer, a member of the Special Police Intercept and Verification (SPIV) unit, was with three colleagues when they stopped a bodaboda rider whose motorcycle lacked the mandatory unique registration code required for all genuine operators in Thika town. The officers were conducting checks at Cravers in Thika, Kiambu County.

According to eyewitnesses, an argument began after one of the officers removed the motorcycle's ignition key. As the confrontation escalated, the rider drew a pistol and shot one of the officers in the throat at close range. The sudden attack caught the other officers off guard, forcing them to take cover as the assailant fled the scene.

"That police officer was shot while trying to check the motorcycle's code, and it seems the motorcycle owner noticed that his bike didn’t have the required code and got tense. They started arguing as they walked along, and in the course of that confrontation, he pulled out a pistol and shot the officer,” a witness told reporters.

Following the shooting, the suspect reportedly hijacked another motorcycle at gunpoint near the Royal Hotel and fled the area at high speed. Efforts to trace him began immediately.

The injured officer was rushed to Thika Nursing Home but sadly died from his injuries.

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) who visited the crime scene recovered two spent 9mm cartridges and a CZ pistol magazine loaded with four rounds of 9mm ammunition. The ammunition has been sent for ballistic analysis as investigations continue.

A manhunt is currently underway for the suspect. The National Police Service (NPS) has not yet released an official statement on the incident.

This tragic event has raised concerns about the dangers officers face during routine duties, especially in areas where firearms may be in the hands of criminals disguised as ordinary operators. Authorities are urging members of the public to assist with information that may lead to the arrest of the suspect.