Man accused of killing GSU officer manning State House detained for 14 days

A Nairobi court has ordered that Kimunye Musyimi, the man accused of killing a General Service Unit (GSU) officer outside State House, be detained for 14 days to enable police to complete investigations.

Musyimi, 56, who hails from Makueni County, appeared before the Kibera Law Courts, where detectives sought more time to finalise their probe into the killing that occurred on Monday morning.

According to preliminary investigations, the suspect allegedly travelled from Makueni to Nairobi on Sunday night before carrying out the fatal attack the following day.

In court, Kinyumi, who appeared frail, limping and in visible pain, had to be assisted by police officers as he entered the courtroom. Dressed in a white hoodie and brown trousers, he leaned heavily on one leg, while the other was bare, lacking both a shoe and a sock.

The court has directed that he be taken to Mbagathi Hospital for immediate medical treatment.

The attack reportedly took place at around 8:10 am on Monday near State House Gate D along Dennis Pritt Road, a security checkpoint used by the public to access the compound. Police reported that the assailant, armed with a bow and arrows, confronted officers on duty and ignored repeated commands to surrender.

He then fired an arrow that struck Police Constable Ramadhan Mattanka in the ribs. The officer, attached to the GSU’s G Company, was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) but succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment.

An autopsy conducted on Tuesday revealed that Constable Mattanka died from excessive bleeding after the arrow pierced through his seventh and eighth ribs, penetrated his left lung, and punctured his heart.

Mattanka, a Muslim, was scheduled to be buried on Tuesday in Kajiado County after investigators requested a short delay to allow completion of forensic procedures.

In a statement, National Police Service (NPS) spokesperson Muchiri Njaga condemned the killing, describing it as a “heinous act” and commending the officers at the scene for their prompt response, which helped prevent further harm.

“The National Police Service condemns this heinous act and commends the officers for their swift response, which prevented further harm,” read the statement.

Police confirmed that Musyimi was arrested at the scene after the attack. During interrogation, he reportedly claimed that “Satan had sent him” to harm the officer.

“This man claims he was 'sent by satan' to attack the police officer. He killed him, and he is lucky to be alive himself,” a police officer familiar with the case said.

The area where the assault occurred serves as a security clearance zone, where all vehicles and pedestrians are screened before entering the State House compound.

Investigators are probing reports suggesting that the suspect and the slain officer may have known each other. CCTV footage reviewed by detectives showed a 17-minute exchange between the two before the attack, raising suspicions that the assault could have stemmed from a personal dispute.

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Musyimi was reportedly carrying a large sack in which he had concealed the bow and arrows. Police say he approached the gate posing as a street family member but was turned away. Moments later, after officers were distracted by another vehicle being cleared, he launched the assault.

Despite the ongoing investigations, the motive for the attack remains unclear.