By SHEILA LASIBORI
A SENIOR policeman went on a shooting spree at Bomana on Wednesday night, injuring eight Correctional Service (CS) officers and causing fear and panic at the jail.
CS officers on night duty at the main maximum security unit (MSU) were forced to raise the alarm, sending mixed signals including a possible jail breakout, to other officers at the Bomana CS barracks.
Police Commissioner Gari Baki last night said he had been verbally briefed on the incident and that metropolitan superintendent Fred Yakasa had taken action and disarmed the officer, with charges to be laid.
The eight CS officers including the son of one of the officers, received pellet wounds to their legs, especially on their calf muscles, after the chief sergeant (named) allegedly discharged a firearm believed to be a shotgun.
Commandant of the Bomana Police College Chief Supt Simon Nigi and Bomana jail commander Chief Supt Michael Mosiri were also shot at but managed to escape into the dark near the main entrance of the college.
Commander of the CS headquarters Supt Charlie Farari and director for Southern region Assistant Commissioner Henry Wavik also escaped unhurt.
But the eight subordinates were unlucky when the gun-wielding officer shot under the vehicle and in the process of deflating three tyres of a vehicle driven by Mr Nigi, shot them in their legs.
A shocked Mr Mosiri yesterday confirmed the incident and called for the police hierarchy to taken action on the officer and remove the firearm, believed to be a police issue, from his possesion.
The officer also allegedly assaulted the wife of a CS officer using the butt of the firearm, while he was reportedly in the company of a group of men believed to be his in-laws from a Highlands province.
“All we want is to have the officer disarmed,” Mr Mosiri said.
The officer allegedly shot at his superiors and the CS officers while the group was reportedly discussing ways to solve a dispute between the gunman and a CS officer after their sons were involved in a druken brawl.
Mr Mosiri said the disturbance at the Bomana CS barracks allegedly by the officer lasted about two hours and 30 minutes - from 9pm to 11.30pm.
It was alleged that the policeman first assaulted the CS officer (father of the other boy) at about 4.30pm on Wednesday.
Then when night fell, he allegedly went to a nearby settlement, mobilised and returned to the CS barracks, allegedly assaulting a woman on the way.
Two members of the group were reportedly held by CS officers after the gunman left them behind when he drove the vehicle out trying to avoid being locked in.
Statements collected from the affected CS officers will be forwarded to NCD metropolitan commander Supt Fred Yakasa’s office.