Police ordered to deal with criminals invading ranches

A section of the 24,000-acre Sosian Ranch in Laikipia North, Laikipia County. Its co-owner Tristan Voorspuy was fatally shot by herders as he toured the ranch on Sunday, following violent invasions. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Muhoro put police under firm instructions to deal with criminals invading private ranches and conservancies.
  • Police collected the body at noon on Monday, more than 12 hours later, as the invaders were said to still be in the vicinity.
  • The DCI said a security operation in the area to flush out the herders had been intensified.

A high-powered security team led by Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro visited Laikipia County on Monday, a day after invaders fatally shot a rancher, as the persisting conflict between ranch owners and herders got ugly.

Mr Muhoro, who was accompanied by top police chiefs and administrators, including Laikipia County Police Commander Simon Kipkeu, said investigations were under way to establish the forces behind the violence.

Mr Tristan Voorspuy, a co-owner of the 24,000-acre Sosian Ranch in Laikipia North, had toured the vast ranch on Sunday evening when he met his death.

The body of the former British Army officer was located with the help of a police helicopter on the hillside, a few kilometres from where the cottages had been set ablaze, after several hours of a joint search by security officers and guards from the ranch.

The carcass of the horse he was riding on the expansive property also had gunshot wounds.

DEAL WITH CRIMINALS

Police collected the body at noon on Monday, more than 12 hours later, as the invaders were said to still be in the vicinity.

Mr Muhoro put police under firm instructions to deal with criminals invading private ranches and conservancies.

“Security agencies are on high alert and we have launched a probe into those behind the invasions of private ranches and conservancies,” said Mr Muhoro.  

In a span of just one month, daring invaders have attacked and injured several persons, including three police officers seriously.

Sunday’s incident came barely three days after herders shot and injure­d a police officer attached to Ru­muruti Police Station. He and his colleagues were deployed to flush out the invaders, who had set ablaze two houses in the ranch on Thursday.

Last month, a General Service Unit (GSU) officer was driving an armoured police vehicle at Miteta trading centre when armed grazers shot him in the leg.

SHOT AT HELICOPTER

Over the weekend, the audacious invaders are said to have shot at a helicopter carrying Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet. Police, however, claimed the report was untrue.

The DCI said a security operation in the area to flush out the herders had been intensified.

“Security agencies are not going to leave anything to chance,” said Mr Muhoro. “The operation to evict herders from private property is still in force as the government does not condone destruction of people’s property.”

He, however, termed Sunday’s killing as “an isolated incident committed by militia”, which police were pursuing.

According to police and a security manager at the vast ranch, Mr Voorspuy, who had just returned from Nakuru, decided to go to visit the site where cottages were burnt by herders on Friday, ignoring warnings from security personnel and family members.

Mr Kipkeu revealed that Mr Voorspuy had been advised against venturing into the ranch without police escort. The senior security manager at the ranch, Mr Simon Eturen, said he had retorted: “It is my ranch and I have the right to go anywhere I wish.”

The police commander said ranches often made arrangements with police to accompany their workers and ranchers but that was not possible on Sunday as officers were still tackling the invaders deep inside the ranch.

On Monday, dozens of police officers were deployed in the area.