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Police sent to hunt down killers
DAILY NATION
Story by GEORGE OMONSO
Publication Date: 2007/04/26
A security team has been dispatched to Saboti Constituency to track down raiders, following the killing of six people.
The General Service Unit and administration police team drawn from Chepchoina camp and Eldoret was combing Kinyoro trading centre where the Monday night killings occurred.
There are reports that the raiders might have crossed over to Uganda after the attack.
Two people have been arrested in connection with the killings in Trans Nzoia District that borders clash-torn Mt Elgon. Rift Valley provincial police officer Everet Wasige and his CID counterpart Mohammed Amin are coordinating the operation. Other senior members of the team include Kitale police commander Anthony Kamitu and his deputy Eliud Okello.
Those killed on Monday were named as Mr Joseph Kangala, a human rights activist, Mr Julius Barasa, Mr Maurice Wanjala, a carpenter, two traders John Njoroge and John Kamau and Mr Isaac Wekesa, a teacher.
Demanded money
The raiders believed to have come from the neighbouring Mt Elgon District struck at the centre shortly after 9.30pm.
The 15 gunmen in police jungle uniform ransacked houses, beat up owners and threw them out as they demanded money and mobile phones.
Those shot dead were dragged from their houses, tied up with ropes and shot dead on the Kitale/Kisawai road. Kinyoro centre is 17 kilometres from Kitale Town.
Other officers are searching for the raiders in Saboti, Kiboroa and Teldet forests from where they are believed to have emerged.
Out of danger
Yesterday, the Nation learnt that two suspects held at Kitale Police Station were assisting officers with investigation over the slaughter. Police are also interrogating a woman who had been taken captive by the raiders. Kitale medical superintendent Nyongesa Wakwabubi said two patients admitted at the hospital with bullets in their bodies, were out of danger. Most Kinyoro residents were evicted from their farms in 1992 ethnic clashes.
Saboti MP Davies Nakitare condemned the killings.
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