Police hunt for man who attacked Narok conservationist

Tension is high Olarro Nature Conservancy in Narok South after a 51-year-old Briton of South Africa origin, Mr William Rex Hofmeyr, was shot with an arrow and seriously injured on the jaws.

Mr Hofmeyr, the manager of the 1,200-acre conservancy was Friday ambushed by a lone assailant armed with a bow and arrows.

The Briton was wounded after the arrow penetrated through his right cheek with its head stuck on the left side of his mouth between his molar teeth.

According to a police report at the Majimoto Police Post, Mr Hofmeyr was shot at close range as he patrolled the conservancy at around 5pm on Friday near a disputed dam between the protected area and community land.

ATTACKER

According to Narok South OCPD Antony Shimoli, the suspect, dressed in Maasai regalia, emerged from a nearby shrub, armed with a bow and arrows and shot Mr Hofmeyr.

Mr Hofmeyr was rushed to Ngoswani Community Health Centre where he was treated and discharged.

“The conservator managed to escape after firing into the air twice and retreated to his high end resort before he was rushed to a nearby dispensary in Ngosuani where the arrow head was removed,” said Mr Shimoli.

According to the police, efforts to trace the assailant are still underway.

The police boss revealed that the Briton is in stable condition but traumatised.

The attack comes four days after more than 1,000 members of Majimoto group ranch brought operations along the Narok-Sikinani road to a standstill protesting the shooting of cows at the disputed dam which acts as a water point for the community.

ENRAGED

According to Mr Moses Siololo, they were enraged because the conservancy has failed to constitute a proper management plan.

They also accuse the conservancy of failure to conduct elections of officials and a conservancy committee, failure to review the land lease agreement among other grievances.

But Mr Siololo said they do not know who shot Mr Hofmeyr and want police to investigate the matter.

He said their agitation for change in the management of the conservancy is for the general good of the community.

He said members have contributed over Sh20 million towards setting up of beacons on the conservancy land, with each member contributing Sh10,000, but the funds cannot be accounted for.

The standoff is just one of the many land grievances in the area as many pastoralists have lost access to their land and water-points after leaving it to multi nationals who have set high end tourists lodges and tented camps.