Police Officer Shoots Partner Dead Before Taking Own Life

Police in Kirinyaga County are investigating the deaths of an Administration Police officer and his partner in what is believed to be a murder–suicide.

Sergeant John Kamau Ikenye, 56, was discovered inside staff quarters at Karoti Girls Secondary School in Mwea East on Monday morning. His partner, Betha Wanja Gachoki, was found dead on the bed nearby. Detectives say Kamau shot Wanja several times before turning the gun on himself.

Officers forced entry into the locked house after colleagues were unable to reach him. A G3 rifle was recovered at the scene with 14 rounds still loaded and five spent cartridges. Forensic teams confirmed Wanja had gunshot wounds to the chest and left hand, while Kamau’s fatal injury was self‑inflicted. The bodies were taken to Kerugoya County Referral Hospital Mortuary for post‑mortem examinations.

Neighbours described the couple as quiet and longstanding. Wanja was known in Kimbimbi trading centre where she operated a shop, while Kamau had previously worked as a bank guard before his posting to Mwea East. Residents said the incident came without warning.

In Nairobi, police are searching for a General Service Unit officer accused of killing his girlfriend in Mihang’o. The victim, Anne Muthoni, in her early twenties, was found with a stab wound in her rented apartment. Investigators believe she was last seen with her boyfriend, Bernard Mutiso, who has since gone into hiding.

Both cases are under investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. Families and communities are mourning the deaths, while authorities face renewed pressure to address violence and suicide within the police service.