New details have emerged from the chaos in Othaya, painting a picture of courage under fire. As teargas canisters rained down on the altar of Witima ACK Church, it was not the police who protected the congregation, but the clergy. Former DP Rigathi Gachagua has credited a brave priest with physically shielding his bodyguard from what he termed a "targeted fatal attack."

In a press briefing that sounded more like a war report, Gachagua alleged that a specific squad of 15 "rogue" officers had infiltrated the service with a single mission: to eliminate his head of security and leave him vulnerable. "They had AK-47s and they were not shooting in the air," Gachagua claimed. "They were aiming at bodies."

The Priest Standing in the Gap

Witnesses report that as the "goons"—who arrived in a police vehicle registration GKB 765X—advanced towards the VIP podium, the presiding priest stepped in front of Gachagua's lead bodyguard. Holding nothing but a Bible, he dared the attackers to shoot a man of God.

"That priest is a hero," Gachagua said, his voice trembling with emotion. "He looked the killer in the eye and told him, 'Not in this house.' That hesitation bought us the seconds we needed to escape."

• The Vehicle: Gachagua provided the number plate GKB 765X, challenging the DCI to trace its movements.
• The Tactics: The attackers allegedly deflated the tyres of all vehicles in the compound to prevent escape, forcing the evacuation on foot.
• The Fire: One of Gachagua's escort vehicles was torched, sending a plume of black smoke over the church spire—a symbol of the utter breakdown of law and order.

"They Came to Kill"

The narrative of an assassination attempt is growing louder. Gachagua dismissed CS Kindiki's promise of an investigation as a "bad joke," asking how the police can investigate themselves. "The killer was wearing a uniform," he stated. "You cannot ask the hyena to investigate why the sheep are missing."

As Othaya remains tense tonight, the church—usually a sanctuary—has become a crime scene, and a priest's robe is the only thing that stood between a political rally and a massacre.