Police officer shot by radical youth in Mombasa

A police officer was shot and wounded by suspected radical youths in Bondeni area in Mombasa on Friday.

Senior police told the Star the officer, who was guarding Gulf bank with a colleague, was ambushed by the gunmen after the other guard went into the bank.

“He is lucky to have survived after his colleague fired several bullets from the bank, forcing the three to escape and disappeared into a nearby residential areas,” police said. “It appears the gunmen targeted the officer, they had no intention of robbing the bank. We are still pursuing the suspect,” they added.

The officer attached to Central police was rushed to Moi hospital by Administration police officers on patrol.

Detectives from Special Crimes Unit visited the scene and obtained CCTV footage from the bank and collected spent cartridges for investigation.

The three are believed to be part of radical youth targeting security agents within Bondeni, including the killing of a CID boss and shooting of a police informer in Old town, Mombasa, last month.

Police intelligence reports Bondeni as an area used in recruitment and training of al Shabaab members.

Two al Shabaab leaders were killed during the botched Baure KDF camp attack in Lamu, both hail from Bondeni.

Al Shabaab commander Luqman Issa and Said Hemed alias Marhaba, both Kenyans, are suspected to have been financing and recruiting for al Shabaab.

Marhaba ferried food and medicine to militants in Boni forest.

They were behind the Mpeketoni massacre in June 2014 where more than 70 people killed.