Investigations reveal why highly trained Recee Officer shot girlfriend 53 times with his M16 rifle

A member of the elite Recce squad shot his girlfriend 53 times last week and the reason has now been revealed.

Kennedy Mwarabu who had just spent months in the country after coming from training in the United States shot his wife before turning the gun on himself. The incident happened at the GSU headquarters in Ruiru and now police have pieced up together what led to the tragic ending.

Kenya recee Squad in plainclothes in past action (AP)

Mwarabu and his girlfriend whom he had been living with Nthenya Katheka had a huge rift together. It is alleged that she had wanted to leave him and get married to another man. The two also quarreled over 420,000 KES Nthenya had allegedly taken from Mwarabu.

On the fateful day, Mwarabu did not report to duty as he was assigned at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Investigators say he texted his wife in Mombasa in the morning asking her to call his colleagues and find out what will have happened by 10 am. At 9.15 am he shot his wife 53 times with the specialty M16 rifle.

Efforts by his colleagues to gain access to the house were futile as he refused to surrender and locked himself in the house. Neighbors say the two had been having issues but tended to resolve them amicably in the past.

A Recce officer manning the crowd (News Kenya)

Nthenya had come to visit Mwarabu last week on Thursday. Detectives found an untouched plate of ugali and Nthenya’s sim card which had been crushed.

This latest incident adds to the pressure on police force to find ways for counseling their members given that most love disputes end in deaths.