A team of Isiolo court staff including Senior Resident Magistrate Edward Tsimonjero on Wednesday escaped unhurt after bandits attacked them along Losesia-Kom-Merti road.
The magistrate, a court clerk, prosecutor, an advocate and two law students were on their way to Isiolo from a mobile court session in Merti when they were ambushed by the attackers at Daraja ya Mungu in Samburu East at around 3 pm.
Also on board the Toyota Land Cruiser they were traveling in were two police officers.
Reports indicated the armed bandits flagged down the vehicle and demanded food and water from the occupants but they were not given.
Irked, the suspected criminals ordered the eight out of the car, spreading fear among them and prompting the driver to hurriedly take off to salvage their lives.
The criminals then fired at one of the rear tyres but the driver managed to drive for about two kilometres with the deflated tyre.
County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding said police officers in the vehicle fired back at the attackers before they vanished towards Samburu side.
“The driver drove on a flat tyre to a safer area where they changed the tyre,” Mr Omoding said, adding that the General Service Unit officers at Losesia later escorted the court team.
He said patrols will be intensified along the route to ensure safety of motorists.
“We are keen on deployment of more police officers to troubled areas as well as establishing camps for special police units to deal with insecurity menace,” he assured.
