A tragic incident shocked Kinango in Kwale County on January 14, 2026, when a Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) ranger fatally shot a police officer before taking his own life in a dispute over two goats donated for Christmas festivities.
The slain officer, Constable Stanley Karithi of Kilibasi police post, was riding with a colleague along the Nyango–Kilibasi Road when they encountered ranger John Ndichu and another KWS officer. Police reports indicate that the officers had stopped a boda boda rider carrying sacks of charcoal for questioning when Ndichu arrived.
During the exchange, Karithi asked Ndichu about the goats allegedly collected from a local rancher but never handed over to the police. Witnesses say Ndichu became enraged, denied the allegations, and opened fire. Karithi was shot four times in the chest and died instantly.
His colleague sustained life‑threatening injuries after being shot in the ribs, while the boda boda rider was also shot in the ribs and rushed to hospital in serious condition. Ndichu then turned the rifle on himself, firing six bullets under his chin, dying on the spot. Another ranger present at the scene escaped unharmed but shaken.
Authorities recovered both firearms for ballistic analysis. Ndichu’s weapon contained two magazines with 49 bullets, while his colleague’s rifle held three magazines with 90 rounds. The bodies were taken to hospital for autopsy and further procedures, while police confirmed that the injured victims are in serious but stable condition.
