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MPs want police to free suspects
February 10, 2008
EA STANDARD
By Peter Mutai
Four MPs want the police to release 17 suspects arrested over the
killing of a Catholic priest in Koibatek District, three weeks ago.
Led by Eldama Ravine MP, Mr Moses Lesonnet, the legislators
claimed that the suspects were innocent and accused the police of
using excessive force against his constituents.
He said the officers’ action had left many people, including
children, traumatised.
"Most of these people are innocent but they are now living in fear,"
he said.
He said a man succumbed to a bullet wound, inflicted by a "trigger
happy" policeman, last week at the Eldama Ravine District
Hospital.
Father Michael Kamau, a lecturer at St Matthews Seminary in
Kapsabet, was pulled out of his car and stoned to death by a group
of youths who had erected illegal roadblocks along the
Nakuru-Eldama Ravine road in what is seen as a revenge attack.
"We condemned the killing of the priest as it should not have
happened," he said.
The MPs, who included Prof Hellen Sambili (Mogotio), Mr Luka Kigen
(Rongai) and Mr Ekwe Ethuro (Turkana Central) spoke during a peace
meeting at Muserechi trading centre on Friday.
Only elders attended the meeting, which was called to assure the
residents of security and appeal to them to return home. The youth
have gone into hiding.
The area has remained deserted since the incident three weeks ago.
Families fled from their homes to evade police harassment.
Ethuro said MPs have agreed to resolve the crisis.
"If there is no evidence to sustain a case in court then let these
people be released and independent investigation start. But if
there is evidence then let them be taken to court immediately,"
said Kigen.
Koibatek DC, Mr Stephen Ikua, said officers from the Criminal
Investigations Department were still investigating the matter.
The DC hinted that more arrests would be made as some culprits
were still on the run.
A student who arrived from abroad is among those arrested.
On Saturday, the administrator ordered the release of the student,
saying he was innocent.
"Those who did it are known by you but some of you are protecting
them. The elders and clergy should be assisting the Government to
arrest these criminals but they have failed," said the DC.
Ikua said the Government was investigating allegations that some
residents were having illegal guns, adding that police officers
would be deployed to beef up security.
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