Police officers killed in Baragoi were young, had no experience

A majority of the officers who died in the Baragoi massacre in 2012 were young and inexperienced, with some have graduated only two months before the operation, a Nakuru court has heard.

Chief Inspector Robert Owino, a former police boss who was among those who led the botched cattle recovery mission, told the court that out of the 42 officers killed in the attack, 18 were APs.

“Majority of the security officers killed by bandits were largely inexperienced and unsure of the treacherous Suguta Valley and so surrendered to guidance by Samburu home guards before they were attacked,” said Mr Owino.

According to Mr Owino the families of two of his junior colleagues have never found their loved ones since the attack.

The officer, who is currently attached to the Inspector-General of police’s command unit, revealed that three General Service Unit, four Kenya Police and four Anti-Stock Theft Unit officers, and 13 police reservists died in the attack that shocked the nation.

CHARGED IN COURT

Mr Owino was testifying in a case where Nachola ward representative Lawrence Lorunyei, chiefs Christopher Lokerach, Enoi Lesike, Amojong Loturo and Jeremiah Ekurao, reservist Loomira Looyen and ranger Ekai Loyee have denied involvement in the Baragoi killings.

The seven accused who are facing robbery with violence charges are out on a Sh5 million bond each.

Mr Owino revealed that up to date there is still confusion as to how many police officers died in the massacre.

However, he said that the then Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere confirmed that 42 officers had lost their lives in the ill-fated operation where over 50 firearms were also lost.

He further disclosed that prior to the commencement of the crackdown on Turkana raiders who had stolen the cattle from Ndoto Village in Samburu on October 19, 2012, 106 police officers drawn from the AP, GSU, Anti-stock Unit (ASTU) and regular police were dispatched to pursue the cattle rustlers.

The officer was among those who escaped death by a whisker as he had been left behind to lead a group that was assigned to guard police vehicles.

GROUPED INTO PLATOONS

“Prior to the ill-fated operation, our commanders then Samburu North OCPD Chrispin Makhanu and chief of police operations Willy Lugusa grouped us into four platoons. I was told to head platoon number four which was left to guard police vehicles,” said Mr Owino.

He told the court that the platoon of 20 officers he was leading was to tactfully make a withdrawal in case of danger.

“Those of us left behind knew that our colleagues had a dangerous task ahead but we remained composed and hid in the tickets,” he narrated.

The officers were ambushed by over 100 armed attackers while they were deep into the valley minutes after they had spotted the stolen animals.

The attackers shot them randomly with a hail of bullets from all directions.

“Shortly after we had embarked on the operation in the ‘Valley of Death’, our colleagues who went deep into the valley were attacked and a fierce exchange of fire followed.

SAVED BY GOD'S GRACE

“Some of us were only saved by the grace of God as we had been left behind,” said the teary officer while narrating the chilling account of the attack.

He said that at around 11am they received a call instructing them to withdraw the vehicles immediately.

They then knew that their colleagues were in danger.

“We were told officers had been injured and indeed after retreating to a safe distance we were joined by other survivors with whom we tactfully rescued those injured and rushed them to the Baragoi District Hospital,” he said.

The officer however, reiterated that the operation was ill-fated, ill-executed, and involved inexperienced officers who had graduated less than two months prior to the operation.

The hearing was adjourned to September 13, 2016.