Motorist arrested in yet another gun road rage incident
A businessman was arrested after he dramatically fired six rounds of ammunition in a road rage incident on Koinange Street, Nairobi.
Mr Elly Owuor was arrested outside Serena Hotel where he had escaped to following the 3am incident on Wednesday.
Owuor’s black sleek Mercedes Benz car had been involved in an accident with another salon vehicle at a junction on the road when he suddenly came out holding a pistol in his hand.
Police confirmed he holds a licensed gun. Owuor was the third licensed gun holder to be arrested in three days in the city centre in gun drama incidents.
Another motorist had earlier been arrested in Kamukunji area after he shot at a fellow motorist. In a similar incident, another licensed gun holder was arrested near bus station after he drew out his gun scaring, the public.
He told police he had seen people who looked like muggers approaching him. The two were later taken to court on Tuesday after being disarmed.
Suddenly emerged
According to the motorist whose car had crashed with that of Owour, he (Owuor) was joining Kenyatta Avenue from Koinange Street.
“I had been with my friends at a restaurant and was leaving for home at about 2am racing up Kenyatta Avenue when the Mercedes Benz suddenly emerged. I hit him near the left tyre and we all stopped,” said the motorist who asked not to be named.
He added he was the first one to get out of his car but was shocked to see Owuor emerge with a gun directed at him. Owuor fired six times to the air and the ground but no one was injured.
One of the bullets ricocheted and hit the door of the car that had hit his.
It was then that police who were about 50 metres away walked to the scene.
One of the officers boarded Owuor’s car and ordered him to drive to Central Police Station. But his colleagues were shocked when they saw it race towards Kilimani direction with the officer on board asking for their intervention.
According to Central OCPD Eric Mugambi, Owuor drove up to Serena Hotel where he stopped at the barrier waiting for the gate to be opened.
It was then that the officer on board asked the guards there not to open and later called for reinforcement. They arrested him and later drove to Central Police Station.
Road rage
Police said they will take Owuor to a doctor for tests to establish if he was drunk at the time of the incident before he could be arraigned in court. Police detained both cars.
Incidents of road rage involving the use guns are on the rise in Nairobi.
Nairobi PPO Anthony Kibuchi said they will take action on anyone who misuses his weapon. In 2007 a motorist killed another in a road rage incident in Langata area. The motorist was jailed for manslaughter. Individuals usually go through rigorous process before they are issued with a permit to own guns.
