Police officers in muranga have died any involvement in the alleged killing of two suspected robbers on Sunday.

Fredrick Shisia, the Central Kenya Regional Commissioner, defended the police officers, claiming that the two robbers were killed in a shootout between police and gang members as they were being led to their hideout.

PHOTO | COURTESY Murang'a robbers

Kenyans on Twitter raised concerns after the DCI removed an earlier post they had made alleging that the suspects were arrested and money and guns were recovered from the suspects. A few moments later, the DCI account posted another post with the victims dead, and they had similar clothes to the victims they had arrested earlier.

The online outrage made the chair of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), anne makori, launch an investigation into the killing of the two suspects.

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However, Central Kenya Regional Commissioner Fredrick Shisia said the suspects were arrested while coming out of the Kinyona forest with a bag containing money suspected to have been stolen from Unitas Sacco. They allegedly engaged the officers in a shootout as they were leading the officers to their hideout.

“We cannot say that our police officers were responsible for the killing of these two suspects because the officers were confronted by gunfire…I think in that exchange of fire, is when they dropped the firearm and ran away,” he said.

“As the officers were moving through thickets, they were met by gunfire and it was what prompted the officers to take cover and engage the other group after which the two suspects were fatally injured,” explained Shisia.

PHOTO | COURTESY IPOA

According to Shisia, the fact that the alleged robbers were shot with police guns suggests that the assailants may have used illegal firearms to fire back at the officers.

Chairperson of IPOA Anne Makori said that the organisation would investigate the matter because it seems like officers were involved and will give recommendations once the investigation is completed.