Edward Koech And Michael Njuguna
10 October 2008
Nairobi — An Administration Police officer was on Friday shot dead by bandits in Kabolet village at the volatile West Pokot and Trans-Nzoia border.
He was gunned down while pursuing bandits who had raided the village and escaped into the expansive Kabolet forest with livestock .
Villagers suspect Pokot rustlers who were armed with AK-47 rifles laid an ambush in the forest and killed the officer, who was in the company of colleagues.
The body was moved to Kitale District Hospital mortuary awaiting a postmortem.
West Pokot Catholic Justice and Peace Commission coordinator Samwel Lemale said some families have fled the area after they were allegedly beaten by security personnel carrying out a crackdown on suspected cattle rustlers and those with illegally acquired firearms.
He claimed officers were harassing Pokots who had settled in Trans-Nzoia District, alleging they were in possession of illegal firearms and were harbouring cattle rustlers.
"There is a mass exodus of villagers in Kabolet and Makutano locations who fear violent confrontation with security forces. Some of the villagers are hiding in Kabolet forest while others have moved to safer areas in West Pokot," said Mr Lemale.
When contacted for comment, Rift Valley police commander Joseph Ashimalla did not pick his phone. Trans-Nzoia and West Pokot police bosses declined to comment.
Police in Samburu District were on Friday still pursuing a group of 30 cattle rustlers who shot dead a policeman and a reservist on Wednesday.
The two were killed as rustlers and police officers exchanged gunfire at Pura, about 60 kilometres from Maralal Town.
The Samburu police boss Osborn Mwawaza told the Nation on Friday that they were still tracking the bandits who fled towards East Baringo.
Cattle rustling remains a major constraint to development in remote parts of the Northern Rift Valley, where it is estimated that civilians are in possession of about 45,000 firearms.
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