Family members of late GSU officer David Ikileng, who was among 42 security personnel killed by armed bandits in Baragoi. The family is requesting the Government to meet all funeral expenses. [PHOTOS: BENJAMIN SAKWA/STANDARD]

By Sammy Jakaa

WESTERN; KENYA: The Baragoi massacre will haunt our national psyche forever as Government and families of police officers killed search for answers.

It is, however, sad that authorities are engaged in blame game as they decline to take responsibility over the death of 40 police officers.

It is over a week since the killings and the Government is yet to release the names of those who died.

For tens of families caught in the unfortunate web of circumstances, it is grief, despair and confusion.

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In Teso region, four families lost their loved ones in the massacre.

One of them is the family of GSU Constable David Ikileng. The family is yet to come to terms with the loss of their loved one. Ikileng, who was attached to the Anti-Stock Theft Unit in Baragoi, was barely 25. According to family members, news about the death of their firstborn son and breadwinner was shocking.

Cousin Robert Sabala was the last member of the family to communicate with him. He recalls their conversation on that fateful day oblivious of what awaited him.

Burial expenses

“He called and told me that he would come home for leave by end month. We were supposed to arrange for his marriage. Little did I know that would be our last conversation,” said Sabala in tears.

Four days after the incident, they received information about Ikileng’s death. His father Peter Ikileng travelled to Nairobi where he identified the body of his son at Chiromo mortuary. Since that day, the family says no single police officer has visited their home. They added that the Government has only offered to foot mortuary and transport expenses while burial expenses have been left to them.

“It is unfortunate that we have been left to struggle with burial expenses when my brother lost his life serving the country. We expected the Government to foot all the bills but this is not the case,” said Bernard Ikileng, the deceased brother.

They are asking for compensation, arguing that the deceased was their breadwinner.

A few kilometres away in Machakus village, another family is yet to find the body of AP Constable Emmanuel Orachi, 26, who was attached to Rumuruti in Laikipia West. His name is on the list of those missing but he is yet to be identified even after the Government concluded the search exercise on Thursday.

Justus Ojuma, brother-in-law of the late officer, says they checked all the bodies at Chiromo mortuary in vain. “His diary was found at the battlefield but we have so far not seen his remains. We are kindly asking the Government to carry out DNA tests on remaining bodies because they were completely mutilated,” Ojuma told The Standard.

The family accuses the Government of not taking the search seriously. They are also demanding full compensation considering their son died while protecting Kenyans.

Another body that is still missing is that of AP officer Paul Etyang from Teso South.

Marks on legs

At Changara village in Teso North, the family of AP Senior Sergeant Michael Etyang is mourning the demise of their son, who has been in the force for 30 years. Changara location chief Jimmy Esiromo said Etyang’s severely mutilated body was identified through marks on his legs since his face had been disfigured by wild animals.