Police remains recovered in Baragoi

By CYRUS OMBATI

SAMBURU, KENYA: Police in Baragoi have recovered bones believed to be the remains of one of the three missing police officers who were murdered in the bungled operation that left more than 40 officers dead last November.

The bones and skull were recovered from a thicket by a special squad of police sent from Nairobi on Wednesday.

Officers on the ground say that the operation to recover the remaining missing bodies is on-going. They added that preliminary findings showed that the remains recovered on Wednesday belong to an officer who worked with the Anti-Stock Theft Unit.

Police headquarters confirmed the recovery, explaining that it happened following an intensive search after it was established the three had not been accounted for almost three months after the incident.

Police say they are yet to recover 30 of the 33 guns that were stolen from the officers after the November ambush.

There were 108 policemen and 49 reservists who were involved in the operation.

It took months for six bodies of those recovered to be identified at the mortuary, leading to a confrontation between different families- each claiming the remains.

The November 10 incident was a culmination of investigations following an attack by Turkana raiders on Samburu homesteads where some 500 livestock were stolen on October 20.

A week later, Samburu raiders also attacked Turkana homesteads and stole animals during which 12 of the raiders were killed.

Several people have since been charged in court over the murders and robbery of the guns.

Police imposter Joshua Waiganjo has also been drawn into the saga after it emerged he accompanied the team of officers who went there prior to the operation amid speculation he could have leaked information on the same.

A team formed to investigate the saga said they could not conclusively state if Waiganjo leaked information on the operation and called for further investigations.

The Waiganjo saga has led to the sacking of two senior police officers.

Samburu County is rocked by insecurity partly due to proliferation of small arms that has promoted the culture of cattle rustling over the years.

The Government has failed to explain the destination of the raided animals with some suggesting that prominent figures are involved in the illicit shipment and sale of the stolen cattle.