Dominic Wabala
22 May 2008
Nairobi — As calls for amnesty for perpetrators of post-election violence mount, police reveal that more than 600 cases can be conclusively prosecuted if the suspects are arrested.
Detectives have finished investigations into 103 cases, where suspects were arrested and have appeared before various courts throughout the country.
There are 550 cases that await the arrest of known suspects who were identified by their victims.
Suspects arrested have been arraigned in court for various offences including murder, arson, malicious damage to property, robbery with violence and theft.
In their quest to gather evidence against suspects of post-election violence, detectives posed as journalists and took pictures of the perpetrators.
Blocked highways
Those who blocked highways and hacked their victims to death or engaged security personnel in running battles in various towns are also being sought.
However, police expect those who witnessed the commission of crimes to present themselves and give evidence after the Witness Protection Bill was passed.
It is believed that those who feared to give evidence in court against some of the perpetrators will take advantage of the newly enacted law and do so.
Police at one time revealed that 200 prominent personalities were being investigated in connection with funding, incitement, theft, handling stolen property, arson and murder.
They include 74-year-old ODM politician, Jackson Kibor, who was arraigned in a Nakuru court on charges of incitement.
Others are Kapsabet mayor Michale Rono; councillors Paul Cheruiyot and Johnston Kirua; and former councillors Ishmael Choge, Abid Keter, Richard Ruto and George Ruto who were arraigned in a Kapsabet court charged with breaking into houses, theft, malicious damage to property and handling stolen property.
Looting shop
A former Moi Univeristy lecturer and businessman Silas Simatwo also appeared in court for allegedly funding post-election violence.
Four suspects have so far appeared in a Bungoma court for looting a shop in Malaba town but police are hunting suspects who looted property from Ukwala supermarket in Kisumu and other businesses in Eldoret.
Police spokesman, Eric Kiraithe revealed that special teams had been formed to gather evidence against those who participated in the violence.
He said investigations targeted those who participated in the actual act, those who aided and incited others to commit the offences.
Crimes committed during elections violence
Arson: Some people burnt houses and committed mass murder when they torched a church at Kiambaa village near Eldoret in which 35 people perished.
A similar crime was committed in Naivasha where 12 people perished when a house was burnt.
Looting: There were cases of looting in Kisumu where Ukwala Supermarket was ransacked. In Eldoret, many businesspeople lost property when their shops and warehouses were raided.
In Mombasa, there were cases of looting, including a timber warehouse where the scared looters later returned the property after the owner invoked the Al Badiri - a prayer by people who are wronged to seek justice from God.
Murder: Many people were killed, including a Catholic priest in Eldama Ravine. More cases are still pending in court.
Rape: Women were raped and arrests have been made whose cases are also pending in court.
Incitement: Some people incited the population to violence. They are regarded as ring leaders.
Other crimes: People who evicted others from their homes could be charged with trespass. Others who destroyed property could be charged.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 The Nation. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
