Governor Chepkwony’s bloggers assaulted, nursing serious body injuries

Governor Paul Chepkwony during a past press conference. [Photo: Standard]

Two bloggers associated with Kericho Governor Paul Chepkwony are nursing serious body injuries after they were assaulted by hired goons.

Emmanuel Kiptoo and Kiprotich Chepkwony said they were at Saptet hotel at 10:30PM on Saturday night when the hirelings numbering 18 pounced and bundled them into separate Probox vehicles and sped to secluded places in Ainamoi constituency where they were beaten up using steel water pipe rods and their phones smashed.

Lenny Kipkorir, a blogger associated with former Ainamoi Member of Parliament Benjamin (MP) Langat was also assaulted but escaped with minor soft tissue injuries. 

The trio were allegedly attacked over unsavory posts on a Kericho Facebook group targeting a Kericho Member of Parliament (MP).

“We got the report that the three victims who were in a Kericho restaurant were accosted by people known to them and driven to secluded places  within Ainamoi constituency where they were assaulted before being released,” said Justus Kitetu, Kericho Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD). 

Kitetu, who was accompanied by Criminal Investigation Division officer Kimathi Mutonga, said they the three assault victims had recorded formal statements over the Saturday night incident. 

“We are in the process of investigating the matter. We are yet to understand the kind of a dispute that led to the assault,” said Kitetu. 

The bloggers were allegedly attacked over posts on a Kericho Facebook group targeting a Kericho MP. [Photo: Standard]

According to Kiptoo, who was assaulted using a steel water pipe on the legs and required stitching at the Kericho District Hospital said their tormentors picked them up using three Probox vehicles whose number plates were concealed.

“The group leader who I recognised  as a brother of a local Member of Parliament as well as the legislator’s bodyguard forced, Kiprotich and Kipkorir and I  to get into vehicles where our ordeal begun,” he said.

Kiptoo, who was driven to Samburet forest said as his tormentors attacked him they kept asking the whereabouts of fellow blogger Philemon Korir popularly Known as “Mayweather”.

“I told them that he had travelled out of the county and as they huddled to discuss what next to do with me, I managed to overpower one of the goons who had been left to watch over me and disappeared into the tea plantations,” he said. 

A scared Kiptoo who had been stripped off his pair of trousers, said he walked for a few kilometers before a late night boda boda rider spotted him and rushed him to Kericho District Hospital for treatment for his gushing wounds. 

Ainamoi MP Sylvanus Maritim, who was accused of the being behind the assault incident defended himself in a post at the Kericho Reports.

“In the recent past I have undergone through numerous mental torture as a result of false allegations and attacks on various online platforms. Despite that I have no intention whatsoever to settle scores physically. As a legislator, I will pursue the legal path if need arises,” he said.

Members of the clergy led by Fr Ambrose Kimutai of Segemic parish condemned the assault of the bloggers.