A revenue officer in Kenya was killed in a freak bee attack in Mombasa, Kenya, after his car was invaded by the insects on Saturday.
John Muthine Mutwiri, a Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officer, was driving in his vehicle in the Majengo area of Mombasa, while in the company of his colleagues when the bees attacked at around 11:45 a.m.
Mutwiri Stung Repeatedly, Pronounced Dead on Arrival
According to a police report filed at Makupa Police Station, the two other occupants in the vehicle, Commanding Officers Hezekiel Gikambi and Maurice Kinyua, managed to escape and make a run for it. However, Mutwiri was stung repeatedly and succumbed to the injuries, collapsing at a neighboring garage.
"The bees entered the vehicle and they (Kinyua and Gikambi) alighted to get their safety outside. They all ran to different directions. The driver, Mutwiri was however overwhelmed by the bee stings and fell at a nearby garage where through the assistance of the garage owner Mwaruwa Chikophe, he managed to get a Tuk Tuk and rushed to a hospital for treatment," the police said in a report.
Mutwiri was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. His body has since been moved to the morgue, where it awaits an autopsy examination as the police continue with the investigations.
Tributes on Social Media
The officer worked as an investigation and enforcement officer for KRA, one of the country's most prestigious agencies. The Kenya Revenue Authority paid tribute to Mutwiri, describing him as a devoted and professional tax administrator who carried out his responsibilities carefully and stayed committed to the fundamentals of a world-class tax investigative and enforcement officer in the statement released on Sunday, December 12.
Many Kenyans commented on their social media to express their grief. A few close friends and family also cited personal interactions with the KRA officer. One woman, identified as Irene Kendi, claimed Mutwiri assisted her while she was locked in a poor marriage and helped her get through university in a heartfelt sympathy post on Facebook.
