A routine avocado harvest ended in tragedy after a 41-year-old man fell to his death from a tree in Tharaka Nithi, even as police separately investigated a drowning at a Kirinyaga resort and a shooting during a security operation in Siaya.
Police identified the deceased as Julius Kinyua, who died after falling from an avocado tree while harvesting fruit in Chuka North Sub-County.
The accident happened at about noon on Sunday when Kinyua reportedly fell head-first from the approximately 13-foot-high tree.
Officers who visited the scene established that he was harvesting avocados when he lost his footing and fell, dying on the spot.
Investigators said he sustained a swollen head, with blood oozing from his nose, injuries consistent with the fall.
The scene was processed before the body was moved to the Chuka County Referral Hospital mortuary, where it awaits a post-mortem examination.
In a separate incident in Kirinyaga County, a man drowned after diving into a swimming pool at a resort in Mwea East Sub-County.
The victim, identified as Simon Gitonga, had visited the resort on Sunday with four other customers when the tragedy struck.
According to police, the resort manager reported that Gitonga dived into the pool at about 5 p.m. but failed to resurface after remaining underwater for some time.
He was pulled from the water by people at the scene and rushed to Kimbimbi Sub-County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police said the body had no visible external injuries. It was transferred to the Kerugoya County Referral Hospital mortuary pending a post-mortem examination to establish the exact cause of death.
Meanwhile, a 34-year-old man was shot and injured during a police operation in Ugenya Sub-County, Siaya County, after mistaking a multi-agency security team for an armed gang.
The incident occurred at about 10.30 p.m. on Sunday in Uyundo Village.
Police said the man was riding home when he encountered about 25 armed men carrying rifles. Believing they were criminals, he abandoned his motorcycle, ran into a nearby bush and called Aboke Police Post to report the suspected gang.
Officers who responded engaged the armed group in an exchange of gunfire.
During the operation, the man emerged from the bush and sustained a gunshot wound to the sole of his right foot.
Investigations later established that the armed men were members of a multi-agency security team from the National Police Service headquarters in Nairobi who had been conducting an operation in the area.
Police said one officer fired two blank rounds from a G3 rifle, while another discharged one blank round and six live rounds. Two spent G3 cartridges were recovered at the scene.
The injured man was treated at Matibabu Hospital before being referred to Siaya County Referral Hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition.
No police officers were injured in the incident, and investigations are ongoing.
