Shock as student, 17, is arrested with pistol in school
A-17-year old Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidate is in police custody in Homa Bay County after he was found in possession of an illegal firearm.
The form four student at Orero Secondary School was found with a pistol on Tuesday evening after his colleagues raised an alarm.
Homa Bay Officer Commanding Police Division Esau Ochorokodi told journalists that the student was brandishing the firearm to his colleagues before the school administration was alerted.
Mr Ochorokodi said the student denied first he was in possession of the gun, but after a two hour’s interrogation by police officers, he led the officers to a nearby bush where he had hidden the weapon.
“The student hid the weapon outside the dormitory. He could only retrieve it when he wanted to coerce his colleagues to submit into his demands,” said Mr Ochorokodi.
AMERICAN PISTOL
Upon examination of the pistol, the officers found out that it is rarely used in the country, prompting questions on how the student obtained it.
The investigators told the Nation that the pistol is an American type, and is not licensed to be used in the country.
The student revealed to the investigators that he had obtained the firearm from a relative who lives in the United States.
“The student told us that a relative who is living in the US had gifted him with the pistol,” said Mr Ochorokodi.
Despite investigators finding out that the gun had no bullets, the school administration and students were thrown into panic, prompting questioning of more students of the gun possession.
Principal of the School Dickens Bula said they received a hint about the gun from students who claimed that the student had been threatening to shoot them.
THREATS TO SHOOT
“We received complaints from students who said one of them was threatening to shoot whoever failed to meet his demands,” said Mr Bula.
It is said the student was using the gun to extort money and food from fellow students.
The student will be charged at the Homa Bay law courts with illegal possession of unlicensed firearm.
The recovery of the gun from the student has raised concern on the safety of students in schools across the country.
The Homa Bay Police chief said they are also investigating how the student managed to get into the school with the firearm despite checks at the gate when schools reopened.
“All weapons at home should be kept under safe custody to minimize injuries especially on children,” Ochorokodi said.