An Assistant Chief has been suspended for allegedly abetting violence which led to the murder of two young men over political violence in Kasipul Constituency.
The Assistant Chief of Nyalenda Sub-location in Rachuonyo South Sub-county, Hemstone Gumbo, has been forced to relinquish his duties to pave way for investigations by police.
His suspension comes after two young men were killed in a political violence in his homestead at Opondo Village on Thursday last week.
Homa Bay County Police Commander Lawrence Koilem confirmed that the administrator has been relieved of his duties temporarily.
Kiolem said the suspension came to allow them conduct investigations to reveal if the assistant was part of the people who participated in the murder of the two men.
“An administrative action has been taken against the assistant chief because the two young men were killed in his homestead. We are investigating him to find out if he participated in the murder of the two men,” said Koilem said.
It is reported that the deceased men were killed when they attended a political meeting which the assistant chief allegedly held in his homestead.
Residents said the two young men thought the political meeting belonged to a parliamentary candidate they were supporting.
“The young men thought the meeting was convened by the candidate they were supporting. But when they went, they found it belonged to their opponent whose supporters killed them,” said a resident.
Koilem also assured residents of Kasipul that the murder suspects must be arrested even though their arrests had led to assault of police officers on Wednesday.
The police officers had pursued the suspects in the homestead of former Kasipul MP the late Ong’ondo Were’s at Kachien village and arrested the five suspect. But the suspects mobilized a mob that attacked and injured three police officers.
“The public attacked our officers before the suspects escaped from them. I give assurance that we will arrest them again,” Koilem said.
He urged residents to shun violence.
“Let the people of Kasipul know that a by-election is something that comes and goes but the constituency remains theirs. Let them maintain peace,” Koilem said.
