Police recover guns lost in Baragoi killings
Administration Police mark the bodybags with the remains of their colleagues from Sukuta Valley in Baragoi. Police Friday recovered seven firearms in Baragoi, Samburu County, three of them stolen from officers killed during the 2012 massacre. Photo/FILE
What you need to know:
- By Friday evening, police had not established the ownership of the other three AK47 rifles loaded with a total of 45 rounds of ammunitions and the Fabrique National assault rifle, which was loaded with 30 rounds of ammunitions. The three suspects were young men aged 21, 19 and 16.
- The operations have been hampered by lack of police helicopters to support ground forces.
Police Friday recovered seven firearms in Baragoi, Samburu County, three of them stolen from officers killed during the 2012 massacre.
This is the first recovery since the attack happened over 16 months ago. A total of 165 rounds of ammunition were also recovered.
Officers from New Site Operation Camp were on patrol when they confronted about seven armed herders. Three of them were arrested, however, the rest escaped after dropping the firearms.
Police spokesperson Zipporah Mboroki Friday said that the four suspects who escaped were yet to be arrested, however, their identities were known.
The three G3 rifles loaded with a total of 90 rounds of ammunition were stolen in November 2012 from 40 officers, some of them reservists, who were killed during an operation to recover stolen cattle from armed bandits.
By Friday evening, police had not established the ownership of the other three AK47 rifles loaded with a total of 45 rounds of ammunitions and the Fabrique National assault rifle, which was loaded with 30 rounds of ammunitions. The three suspects were young men aged 21, 19 and 16.
Following the killing of the officers, several unsuccessful disarmament operations have been conducted in the area believed to be one of the most risky places in Samburu.
The operations have been hampered by lack of police helicopters to support ground forces.
All the MI-17 helicopters owned by the police are grounded but the service has already advertised for a tender to overhaul the machines and purchase of a new helicopter. The Baragoi region has witnessed a series of insecurity incidents. There is also an influx of illicit arms that has complicated the fight against cattle rustling.
Last week, around 80 heads of cattle were stolen within Tuum area. The County Security and intelligence Committee (CSIC) convened a meeting in Maralal and it was agreed that an operation be organised to recover the stolen cattle. However, the information leaked and the suspects moved all the cattle.
