Who is behind killing of Baringo leaders?

Residents of Churo Amaya ward in Tiaty Sub-county after receiving the news of the death of their MCA Thomas Minito. [Photo:Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Police have started piecing up the puzzle to establish who killed Churo Amaiya Ward MCA Thomas Minito. New details show the MCA was last seen with a woman at a hotel in Kabarnet town on Sunday afternoon. 

Witnesses said people suspected to be police officers walked to their table as they were having lunch and walked out with the MCA, leaving the woman behind.

All this while, his family knew he was on official duty until Tuesday when they discovered his mobile phone had been switched off.

The investigators are trying to understand circumstances surrounding the killing of the politician whose body was dumped in the now ‘infamous’ Ol Donyo Sabuk bridge.

“The number of corpses recovered under this bridge surprises many. Of all the bodies found there, none has ever been a local person,” said a local.

Forensic experts

Many a times, Ol Donyo Sabuk is in the news for the wrong reasons.

In July last year, bodies of a Nairobi city lawyer Willie Kimani and that of the taxi driver Joseph Muiruri were found in Athi River at the Ol Donyo Sabuk Bridge.

“There have been bodies discovered of unknown people. Most people only get to hear about the killings when it is a prominent person,” said another resident.

The dilapidated Ol Donyo Sabuk Bridge separates Kiambu and Machakos counties.

With this recent murder, police are trying to get clues to unravel the mystery.

The Sunday Standard team met a team of investigating officers who had visited the scene yesterday.

A police officer from the Homicide Division who could not reveal his identity said they were determined to get to the bottom of the matter.

“We will soon be joined by forensics experts,” said the investigator.

A new team from Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ Homicide Unit had taken over the investigations into the macabre murder.

Unit Head Martin Nyaguto led his team to the scene where the body was discovered and mortuary where it was preserved as part of their probe.
The team also questioned five people held after they went to identify the body at Donyo Sabuk mortuary on Friday.The five are relatives and friends of the deceased.
But still many questions remain unanswered.
“It is obvious the man was picked by people who had an intention of killing him but we are yet to know them,” said an investigator.

The officers have contacted a mobile phone service provider to help them trace the movements of the deceased from Baringo to the Donyo Sabuk crime scene.
Only a card bearing his picture and name showing he was a member of dissolved URP party was found in his pocket.
Tiaty MP Asman Kamama speaking at the mortuary where the body was preserved, said the killing was work of hi-tech people who are properly trained, police or a hit squad.
“It was not conducted by amateurs because of the manner in which the deceased was picked up and brought all the way here,” he said.

Police have denied involvement in the murder.
Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet said they had on May 16 received a report that three people who purported to be police officers abducted Minito before a countrywide search begun.
“We are appealing to the members of the public who may be having any information that may assist the police to report to the nearest police station,” he said.

The chilling murder of Minito follows the brutal killing of Loyamorok MCA Kibet Cheretei and Tiaty parliamentary aspirant Pepee Kitambaa in February. Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi condemned the killings.

“The government should step forward, arrest criminals behind the killing because this matter might escalate,” said Cheboi. While the hunt for the possible killers of the Baringo politician continues, what still remains unclear is what makes the Ol Donyo Sabuk bridge such a favourite spot for dumping bodies?

[Mercy Kahenda, Cyrus Ombati, Kevin Ogutu]