A new wave of cattle theft in North Rift region, despite heavy police presence, has sparked fears that security personnel might be colluding with suspects.

People Daily has established that stolen livestock are rarely recovered, with a recent case where carcasses were traced to a police station revealing the complexity of the matter.

The issue came to the fore early this week after police shot and seriously injured four people who were demonstrating over missing livestock in Barwessa, Baringo County.

Irate residents engaged the police in running battles for hours along the Oinabmoi-Barwessa road.

The residents claimed some security personnel have overstayed in the area and were colluding with cattle thieves,.

According to the residents, when suspects are caught red-handed and handed over to the police, they are released shortly after under unclear circumstances.

“We have on several occasions arrested cattle thieves and handed them over to police but they are let free the following day. The police never go after the thieves themselves, it’s always us catching them, only for the police to release them,” said Daniel Chepkiner, a resident.

It also emerged that cattle rustlers operate in well-organised syndicates associated with well-connected individuals.

The ring leader of the group, the residents claimed, usually distributes stolen meat to butcheries in the area.

The residents accused the police of working with the cattle thieves.

According to Evans Cheptumo, a resident, the protests were sparked off following an incident on Sunday night where several cattle went missing, prompting locals to form a search party.

During the search, they discovered a slaughtered sheep’s hide and head, leading to the arrest of two suspects.

“The third suspect escaped. In the process, police suddenly stormed and demanded to take the suspects away. This led to confrontation between officers and the public,” said Cheptumo.

Several people were injured in the melee that followed as police clashed with the locals. Most of them are admitted at Baringo County Referral Hospital in Kabarnet.

Kimwei Benedict, one of the victims said that he is lucky to be alive.

“What I remember is hearing the police saying that if we tried anything, they would shoot. The next thing I knew, I was lying in a pool of blood with my arm seriously injured,” said Kimwei.

The residents wondered why the officers used excessive force yet they have always followed the law by handing over suspects to the authorities rather than resorting to mob justice.

“We always take them to community meetings, and when we gather enough evidence, we hand them over to the police. But within two hours, they are set free and go back to stealing,” said a resident .
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Baringo County Commissioner Stephen Kutwa and County Commander Julius Kiragu who held a crisis meeting with Barwessa residents have since ordered the closure of all butcheries in the area.

“This will pave way for fresh vetting to root out those operating illegally and ensure that residents consume inspected meat which meets all health standards,” said Mr Kutwa.

Mr Kiragu said all police officers serving in the area have been recalled to the county headquarters in Kabarnet and replaced with others awaiting further action.

Cases of livestock theft linked to security personnel have also been witnessed in neighbouring Elgeyo Marakwet County where 30 police officers at Kaptagat police station were in December last year transferred.

This was after a bull which had been missing was allegedly found being slaughtered in their station.

The missing bull had allegedly wandered into Kaptagat Police Station but locals found the animal being slaughtered within the precincts of the police camp.

All the 30 police officers attached to the station were transferred.

Kaptagat locals had raised the alarm resulting in a huge crowd gathering at the police station and stopping the suspects from fleeing.
Irate residents lit fires at the police station until morning when the suspected officers were arrested and locked up in the same facility.

The residents barricaded all roads leading to and out of the police station as well as Eldoret-Eldama-Ravine Road, paralysing transport in the busy route.

The demonstrators uprooted Kaptagat Police Station’s signboard and used it as a placard during the protest.

Josephine Kandie, whose cow was slaughtered, lives about 300 metres away from the station.

“I had gone to Eldoret town and upon return in the evening, I found that one of my two cows was missing. I enquired from neighbours but no-one had seen it,” said Ms Kandie.

“It was only late in the night that I was alerted that a cow was being slaughtered at the police station which is not far from my house. I rushed to the scene and discovered that my bull was being slaughtered. The skin and the head clearly showed it was my missing bull,” she added.

Residents living near the police station reported seeing a car being driven into and out of the police station during the night, at times frequently.

“We wonder what it comes to pick or drop at such odd hours. We fear there is a big racket dealing in cattle theft and the government should get to the bottom of this,” said a resident who preferred to remain anonymous for their safety.