Police offer reward on Bungoma killings

By AUGUSTINE ODUOR

KENYA: Police have offered a cash reward of Sh100,000 to anyone with crucial leads into the killings in Bungoma and Busia.

Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo also banned all night activities and asked boda boda operators in the regions to limit movement to daytime.

He said activities must be limited to between 6am and 6pm and warned persons extending movement beyond the set time will be arrested.

He also said officers who have ‘overstayed’ in affected counties and the entire Western, have been transferred to enhance service delivery.

Mr Kimaiyo said according to the service’s standing orders, officers who have served for at least three years could be moved.

He spoke yesterday after holding talks with senior politicians and elders from Western to find solution to insecurity.

He also held talks with Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Eliud Wabukala. He, however, expressed shock at how residents and some politicians have kept quiet over the issue.

“We are concerned with unusual silence from persons in the areas regarding people whom they suspect could be behind the killings,” he said.

He said the cash reward is for any member of the public who will provide information, which leads to arrest of the gangs.

“We are encouraging any person with information to come forward and their identity will be kept confidential,” he added.

Kimaiyo said the police have so far arrested 294 suspects and another 211 persons charged in court.

He said 12 suspects have been charged with robbery with violence, nine bonded to maintain peace while four were charged with being in the country illegally.