Seven suspects in Baragoi massacre now want case dropped

Administrative Police officers carry the remains of their colleagues killed in an attack in Sukuta Valley in Baragoi in November 2012. Seven suspects charged in connection with the murder of 42 police officers in the attack now want the case dropped due to lack of evidence. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  Joseph Openda

Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • The suspects told the court that police have failed to produce evidence linking them to the direct murder of the officers.
  • They further told the court that they assisted the security officers by talking to the Turkana morans to return 500 animals.
  • The case will resume on June 20 when the ruling will be made.

The seven suspects charged in connection with the murder of 42 police officers in Baragoi in 2012 now want the case dropped due to lack of evidence.

The suspects, Nachola Ward MCA Lawrence Lolurenyei, Christopher Lokarach, Losike Ewoi, Amojong Loturo, Jeremiah Ekurao, Lomwa Looyen and Ekai Loyee, through their lawyer, Mr Robert Ndubi, on Monday told the court that police have failed to produce evidence linking them to the direct murder of the officers.

“I request the court to drop this case since the prosecution has not been able to directly link my clients with the murder as charged,” said Mr Ndubi.

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The seven have denied ambushing and killing 42 Administration Police officers who were in a mission to recover stolen livestock in Baragoi, Turkana County in 2012 in what came to be known as the “Baragoi massacre”.

Mr Ndubi told the court that the State was only able to link two guns issued to Mr Looyen and Mr Loyee to cartridges connected to the massacre but could not link them to the suspects.

TALKED TO MORANS

Appearing before Lady Justice Janet Mulwa, the suspects further told the court that they assisted the security officers by talking to the Turkana morans to return 500 animals.

They also questioned a Government Chemist’s report by Mr Mwazinga on the spent cartridges linked to the two riffles saying that that more cartridges were recovered but the State of failed to collect all of them.

However, the prosecution in their submission maintained that the case against them has been proved beyond reasonable doubt by all its 13 witnesses who testified in court earlier.

The case will resume on June 20 when the ruling will be made.

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