Retail giant Nakumatt is in the spotlight after a senior manager shot and killed a junior employee yesterday over a disagreement.
Police say they were called to the scene following the incident at the retail chain’s headquarters on Mombasa Road in Nairobi. The Business Daily reports that Mr Abdul Kairo, the transport manager, who is licensed gun-holder, was disarmed and arrested. He told the police that he shot in self-defence, as the junior worker was brandishing a machete.
Nakumatt’s head of security Michael Ndung’u said the deceased, identified as Wafula, appeared mentally disturbed and threatened colleagues with a panga and a spade. One worker sustained a panga cut, he said.
A short message sent to the staff by Nakumatt management read:
“Nakumatt staff called Wafula died today. He was shot by a staff called Abdi. It is alleged that Wafula was incapacitated and he had a panga, therefore, Abdi claims he acted on [sic] self defence. This happened today at Nakumatt warehouse. Police are still carrying [out] investigations.”
It is reported that when young Wafula, 23, confronted Mr Kairo, he shot in the air but he did not surrender. That is when Mr Kairo shot him twice on the left side of the chest, witnesses said. “We have had such an incident at the Nakumatt headquarters on Mombasa Road,” Nairobi police chief Japheth Koome told the media Tuesday.
It is not yet clear what led to the confrontation, and there was no immediate comment from Nakumatt Holdings, which runs the largest retail chain in Kenya and neighbouring countries.
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