Police deny claims of Joseph Boinnet’s chopper being shot at
Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet (right) speaks with a senior Administration Police officer at Uhuru AP Camp in Mbagathi on September 17, 2016. Mr Boinnet toured Baringo County on March 4, 2017 to assess the security operation. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The police boss visited Suiyan Ranch in Laikipia, Rugus in Baringo and Kerio Valley (Elgeyo Marakwet) to appraise ongoing security operations.
- Mr Simon Eturen claimed that Mr Boinnet's chopper had just taken off when a gang emerged from the bush and shot at it.
The National Police Service has denied claims that the helicopter carrying Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet was shot at as it took off from Sosian ranch in Laikipia County Sunday morning.
In a statement sent to the Nation, the service said that Mr Boinnet’s tour was peaceful, denying earlier reports on social media by the Star and Nation that he was shot at.
"At no time did the Inspector General and his entourage encounter any hostility of whatever kind or an attempt to shoot at the police helicopter," it read.
The police boss on Saturday visited Suiyan Ranch in Laikipia, Rugus in Baringo and Kerio Valley (Elgeyo Marakwet) to appraise ongoing security operations.
The IG had gone to hold a meeting with security officers at the ranch following the setting ablaze of the lodge and the main gate by herders suspected to be from the Samburu community, who also went on a looting spree.
A fire exchange between the herders and police attached to the Anti-Stock Theft unit ensured, leading to the death of one pastoralist.
Concerning today's incident, Mr Simon Eturen, Sosian Ranch senior security officer, claimed that Mr Boinnet’s chopper had just taken off when a gang emerged from the bush and shot at it twice.
"The IG had just concluded a meeting with security officers and other security managers from various ranches. When his chopper took off a group of men emerged from the bushes and shot twice in the air.
"However, they couldn’t reach at it because it was far from the ground. The men later disappeared as police officers started taking cover," he said.
Mr Eturen further alleged that the men stole livestock.
This offers the correct position with regards to an alert sent by the Nation indicating that the police boss' helicopter was shot at.
