Detectives in Mombasa have launched a manhunt for a gang that attacked a county revenue checkpoint in Likoni in the early hours of Monday, 26 October 2026, killing a county enforcement officer, injuring three other officers and escaping with a police AK-47 rifle.

The attack happened at about 3:40am at a cess collection point on Barabara ya Mchanga, roughly three kilometres west of Inuka Police Station, according to police accounts reported by The Star and Kenyans.co.ke. The checkpoint was manned by Mombasa County enforcement officers working alongside two Administration Police (AP) officers.

Officer shot in the back

Police identified the officer who died as county enforcement officer Omari Mzerera. Reports say he was shot in the back, with the bullet exiting through his chest. His body was taken to the Coast General Hospital mortuary.

The injured were taken to Diani Beach Hospital. One AP officer suffered deep cuts to the hand and a gunshot wound to the left thigh, while a county officer sustained deep cuts to the head and right thigh, according to the police report cited by the media. One other officer at the post escaped unhurt.

Police estimate that about five men, armed with crude weapons, confronted the officers. Officers reportedly fired shots into the air in an attempt to scare them off, but the attackers pressed on, overpowered the team and wrestled an AK-47 rifle from an AP officer. The rifle was loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition. Police believe the attackers then turned the weapon on the officers before fleeing.

Officers on patrol in the area said they heard gunfire and rushed to the scene, but the gang had already escaped. Neither the rifle nor the ammunition had been recovered by Monday afternoon, and no arrests had been reported.

Motive unclear

Mombasa County Police Commander Stella Cherono said investigators were still trying to piece together what happened and why the checkpoint was targeted.

"We want to establish the number of criminals who were there and what led to the attack," the commander said, as quoted by The Star.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) office in Likoni has taken over the case, and crime scene officers processed the area on Monday morning. Police have appealed to members of the public with information that could help trace the attackers or the stolen firearm to report it to the nearest police station.

"We urge the public, who may have any information that could assist the investigation, to report it to the police," the commander said, according to Kenyans.co.ke.

A loose rifle in a volatile area

The loss of a loaded assault rifle is the most worrying part of the incident for security officials. A stolen police weapon can quickly end up in the hands of robbery gangs, and police are expected to intensify operations in Likoni and Mombasa South to recover it before it is used in other crimes.

Likoni has a history of violent incidents, including gang attacks that have at times raised fears of links to extremist groups. Police have not linked Monday's attack to terrorism, and no group has claimed responsibility.

Residents have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel at night along Barabara ya Mchanga and near other county checkpoints in the area while the operation continues. Businesses and organisations with staff or property in Likoni have also been urged to review their night-time security arrangements.

County enforcement officers who staff revenue points across Mombasa often work late into the night with limited protection. The killing is likely to renew questions about how such checkpoints are secured, and whether officers posted to isolated roads have adequate backup.

Photos: The Star (Mombasa police commander); Kenyans.co.ke (police vehicle, file).