Lamu: Police now arrest two armed men from ranch

A highly placed government source on Thursday revealed that police arrested two suspects who were heavily armed and were hiding in a Coast tycoon’s ranch.

The suspects had ten firearms, 40 rounds of ammunition and several spent cartridges on them.

Police said this was a major breakthrough in their attempt to solve the killings of several people in Gamba, Hindi and Mpeketoni areas of Lamu County.

In a related incident, seized cellphones, sim cards and identity cards were being used to unravel the recent wave of killings in Lamu and Tana River.

Police said expert analysis is being done on passports and weapons suspected to have been used to commit crimes.

The government said that 24 more suspects were arrested in Lamu in connection with recent attacks at the Coast.

State House Spokesman Manoah Esipisu said special forces drawn from the Kenya Defence Forces were combing forests in Lamu, from where the suspected attackers are said to be operating.

“We have arrested a total of 69 suspects in Lamu. 45 were nabbed on July 7, 17 were seized on July 8 and seven on July 9,” Mr Esipisu said.

The State House spokesman, who was addressing journalists on Wednesday, said the government is keen to prosecute the culprits behind the Mpeketoni and Tana River deaths.

BEARING FRUITS

Mr Esipisu said the officers will not leave the forest until they “get rid” of the attackers who had killed close to 70 people.

He said the operation by the officers is “bearing fruits.”

“We believe that significant action is being taken by the government. Some suspects will appear in court soon,” Mr Esipisu said.

The spokesman said that fresh graduates, who have joined the Kenya Police Service, have been sent to the hotspots to beef up the current operations.

Mr Esipisu said that the government has enhanced security in major towns around the country.

He said implementation of a major surveillance programme, supported by the closed-circuit television (CCTV) that is under procurement, will assist in the war against terrorism and general crime in Kenya.

The State House official said that local political networks, which President Kenyatta accused of being part of the masterminds of the Mpeketoni attacks, are also being investigated.

He said anyone linked to the mindless massacres would face the law.

“The intelligence informed the President about networks with evil intentions. They are on the security officers’ radar,” Mr Esipisu said.

While the international community, including the foreign press, have attributed the attacks to Islamist group Al-Shabaab after the Somali- based terrorist group claimed responsibility, the Kenyan authorities think otherwise.

Government operatives believe the Al-Qaeda linked insurgents had no hand in the bloody attacks that have hit the Kenyan Coast.