Two herdsmen sentenced to death over killing of 40 police officers in Baragoi

Administration Police officers comb Suguta Valley in Baragoi in November 2012 following the massacre of 40 police officers. Two herdsmen have been sentenced to death by a Maralal court over the killings. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • At the same time, the court postponed the sentencing of a minor accused of participating in the killings.
  • Senior Resident Magistrate Benson Khapoya convicted Paul Ekuton, 21 and Eurian Elkayo, 19 to death.
  • Mr Khapoya noted that the gravity of the offence where the lives of 40 police officers were lost was a big blow to the nation.
  • In mitigation, the two asked the court for leniency saying they had heavy family duties to attend to.

A Maralal court has sentenced two herdsmen to death over the killing of 40 police officers in Baragoi in 2012.

At the same time, the court postponed the sentencing of a minor accused of participating in the killings.

The three were convicted of killing the officers before stealing their firearms.

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Senior Resident Magistrate Benson Khapoya convicted Paul Ekuton, 21, and Eurian Elkayo, 19, to death but withheld the judgment for a 16-year-old (name withheld) since he was a minor.
The judgement on the teenager's case will be delivered on October 23, 2014.

(READ: Police recover guns lost in Baragoi killings)

BIG BLOW TO NATION

Mr Khapoya noted the gravity of the offence, saying the killings were a big blow to the nation and that the two deserved to die for their acts.

The three were charged that while with others not before the court, they were each found with a G3 rifle valued at Sh150,000 and assigned to three police officers, the late police constables Benson Kangeretho, Antony Ouma and Eric Mutwiri, on November 11, 2012 at Lomerok in Samburu North Sub-County in Samburu County.

In mitigation, the two asked the court for leniency, saying they had heavy family duties to attend to.

The prosecutor, Inspector Jackson Kibor, asked the court to treat the accused as first offenders as they did not have previous criminal records.

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