7 suspects in murder of 42 policemen freed

juma chrispinus

September 22, 2017 12:33 PM

The seven allegedly killed 42 policemen in an ambush attack

Seven key suspects in the maiming of 42 police officers in Suguta Valley have been freed.

A Nakuru High Court on Friday said that there has been no prime case linked to the seven, hence granted freedom.

A majority of the officers who died in the Baragoi massacre in 2012 were young and inexperienced. Survivors of the cattle rustlers ambush attack on a camp said that the colleagues who perished in the attack had just graduated only two months before the operation.

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Earlier, the Chief Inspector Robert Owino, a former police boss who was among those who led the botched cattle recovery mission, told the court that out of the 42 officers killed in the attack, 18 were APs.

“Majority of the security officers killed by bandits were largely inexperienced and unsure of the treacherous Suguta Valley and so surrendered to guidance by Samburu home guards before they were attacked,” said Mr Owino.

The killed police officers were part of an operation to recover cattle belonging to the Samburu community that had been stolen by the Turkana bandits, according to then Interior Security Minister Katoo Ole Mitito.

They 42 officers were ambushed in Suguta valley when a large group of Turkana fired on police, leaving dozens dead and many injured.

The Turkana and Samburu, both pastoralist groups, have frequently engaged in tit-for-tat cattle rustling operations over many years.

Villages in the region are heavily fortified by residents, and it's not unusual to see cattle herders armed with automatic rifles.

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