Kenya — Police in Kenya’s Garissa County have denied allegations that officers were responsible for the death of a Somali taxi driver, following local claims that he was shot during an encounter with security personnel on Sunday night.

Garissa County Police Commander Amos Ambasa told local media on Monday that Ahmed Sheikh Omar, 25, died in a road traffic crash, not from police gunfire. Community members and relatives, however, allege the driver was fatally shot by officers believed to be attached to the Rapid Police Unit (RPU) based in Modhikaarey.

Local leaders have demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of any officers found to be involved. They said the deceased had what they described as a gunshot wound to the head and accused authorities of recording the incident as a car accident despite injuries they claimed were consistent with bullet wounds.

Ambasa disputed those claims, saying the incident began when officers observed the vehicle driven by Omar and the driver “quickly turned off the road.” He said officers initiated a pursuit to determine who was in the car.

“After about 150 metres, they found the vehicle had been involved in an accident that occurred on its own,” Ambasa said, adding that the driver was severely injured and later died from those injuries. He further stated that officers found two boys estimated to be about 15 years old at the scene, who were interviewed.

According to Ambasa, traffic police subsequently took over the case, attended the scene, and carried out initial assessments before the body was moved to the Garissa Hospital mortuary for examination as part of ongoing inquiries.

The case has sparked renewed concern among residents, with some local representatives saying it is not the first death in the area to raise questions and calling for a transparent investigation to establish the circumstances of Omar’s death.