Gangsters gun down AP officer

By LIBAN GOLICHA

An Administration Policeman (AP) was shot dead by unknown people in Manyatta within Moyale town on Sunday night.

The officer in plainclothes was heading for the Manyatta AP Post when he was attacked near St Mary Primary School on Jamia Road.

Moyale police boss Nehemiah Lang’at said the officer was shot dead at about 9pm.

The motive of the murder was not established but the police boss said investigations had been launched.

He explained that the deceased was attached to the Nana AP Post and was on his way to spend the night at the Manyatta post when he met armed gangsters.

The body was taken to the Moyale District Hospital mortuary.

Following the incident, a contingent of security personnel consisting of regular police, General Service Unit and Administration policemen were deployed to the area to track down the killer gang.

Recent clashes

Meanwhile, Moyale Deputy County Commissioner Kamunyan Chedotum has confirmed 80 per cent of people displaced during recent clashes in the area have returned to their homes.

He said residents of Butiye, Sessi, Manyatta and Goromuda had returned home and appealed to others still in Ethiopia to return.

Chedotum assured that security had been tightened as police were now on 24-hour patrols.

He also confirmed Heilu, Odda, Funan-nyata and Mansile areas were still deserted but insisted that normalcy had returned to the sub-county.

The administrator said the Red Cross has donated non-food items to over 200 households that were affected during the skirmishes.

He said mosquito nets, water jerricans, soap, kitchen utensils and blankets were distributed to 217 households in Goromuda, Sessi, Heilu, Lami, Butiye and Manyatta.

Chedotum said during the skirmishes, more than 10 people were killed and property worth millions destroyed in the area.