MCA, four chiefs among seven to face trial over the 2012 Baragoi massacre

A Samburu County MCA and four chiefs are among seven people who will face trial over the 2012 Baragoi massacre that left 42 police officers dead.

The trial is set to start on July 8 before the High Court in Nakuru.

Lady Justice Maureen Odera urged the State to be ready with all witnesses when the hearing begins saying it had been slotted for two consecutive days and has also been marked as the last chance for the prosecution to present its case.

The court made the order when the accused, Nachola Ward MCA Lawrence Lorunyei, chiefs Christopher Lokerach, Enoi Lesike, Amojong Loturo and Jeremiah Ekurao, reservist Loomira Looyen and ranger Ekai Loyee appeared for the mention of the case which has dragged on for the past three years.

STATE READY WITH EVIDENCE, WITNESSES

Principal State Counsel Joel Chirchir confirmed that the State would be ready to present witnesses as well as evidence showing the accused were actively involved in the killings.

Their mobile phones which are being held by police will be produced as exhibits in the case.

The seven have denied that they were in a gang of bandits that killed the officers at Lomirok Village in Baragoi on the night of October 20, 2012.

The hearing of the case has failed to kick off on four previous occasions prompting defence lawyers to call for its termination arguing that the accused were public servants and were suffering as their salaries had been stopped.

The delay prompted the court to grant the State the last chance to prosecute the case against accused, noting the case was old and that the accused persons had endured travelling constraints from the hardship area of Baragoi in Samburu.

Earlier, the prosecution had claimed they were yet to get directions from Director of Public Prosecutions’ office and were still waiting for advice after three herdsmen were sentenced to death for the same offence by a Maralal court.