Soldier kills colleague, two relatives, commits suicide

Florence Muge, the widow of Bernard Muge, who was killed by his nephew, outside her house in Jua Kali, Uasin Gishu County. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

Jua Kali in Uasin Gishu was plunged into mourning yesterday when a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldier killed two relatives and a colleague before committing suicide.

Haron Tiony, a KDF corporal based at Lanet Barracks in Nakuru, stormed two homesteads in the 5.20am incident and within 10 minutes, three people lay dead. He then turned the gun on himself.

The victims were Tiony’s uncle Bernard Muge, 57, and aunt Rose Sang. The third was his colleague Dorcas Lorinyo.

Lorinyo, said to have been Tiony’s girlfriend, was a soldier based at KDF’s Recruits Training School in Kamagut, Uasin Gishu.

Police say Tiony, 38, and a military driver, used a KDF car and firearm in his mission.

Eldoret West OCPD Zachariah Bitok said Tiony started his bizarre mission at his aunt’s home, killed her together with Lorinyo, before driving to Muge’s homestead, three kilometres away.

The motive of the killings is yet to be established.

At Sang’s house, Tiony fired more than 30 bullets, killing the two women on the spot.

It was not immediately clear why Lorinyo was in Sang’s house. She is, however, said to have gone drinking with the man the previous night.

After killing the two, Tiony got into the Land Cruiser and drove to Muge’s home. He rammed the gate to gain entry into the compound, then crushed the wall using the vehicle to access his uncle’s house.

“We have recovered an M4 rifle at the second scene. We have also recovered several spent cartridges from the two scenes. This is an isolated case and all security agencies are here to investigate the incidents,” said Mr Bitok.

The officer said Muge’s wife and child fled to a neighbour’s home when they heard a commotion.

Bitok said Tiony, attached to the Directorate of Military Intelligence, had kept his firearm and ammunition at Jua Kali police post for the four days before the killings.

Neighbours said sounds of gunshots woke them up. They said they did not understand why Tiony killed Muge, who had raised and educated him.

Florence, Muge’s widow, said: “We are so shocked because we have lived peacefully. We lived with him after his parents died. We supported him throughout his education. We don’t know what became of him.”

Edwin Kipsang, who lives about 30m from Muge’s house, said he thought it was a robbery.

“I woke up because of commotion outside. I went outside and saw a vehicle hit Muge’s gate before flattening it. It also rammed the wall of his house. The gunman alighted from the car and deafening sounds of gunshots rent the air,” said Mr Kipsang.

He added: “In less than two minutes, everything went silent. I immediately alerted the police.”

Kipsang said Tiony shot Muge through the window to his bedroom, perhaps after failing to gain entry even after bringing down a portion on the house’s wall.

At 7am, when The Standard, arrived at Muge’s home, his body still lay in a pool of blood. He had been shot in the head and chest.

Outside the house, next to Muge’s bedroom, lay Tiony’s body, the rifle he used in the killing next to his body. He had shot himself in the chin and the bullet exited through the head.

“He (Tiony) often visited Muge’s family. We knew him as a polite man because he was brought up here,” Kipsang, the neighbour, said.

At least 10 spent cartridges were found by the window near where Tiony’s body lay. 

Julius Sang, Tiony’s elder brother, could not comprehend the brutality. “We were together on Monday and Tiony appeared to be fine, no signs of depression or stress,” he said.

Julius said Muge loved Tiony and wondered why he killed him. Tiony was married with five children.

Julius said of what could have triggered his brother’s actions: “Tiony had complained that he was not happy with the manner in which the land was being shared out. However, this was a matter we could have resolved amicably”.

Bitok said police were investigating the killings. 

Residents were overcome with emotions on viewing bodies of the victims.

Eliud Kipruto, whose mother Tiony killed, said he spent the whole of Monday with the killer. He said they had lunch and they went drinking. He did not appear to have a problem.

Mr Kipruto said Tiony, who arrived five days ago, had been staying with Lorinyo.

Kipruto said Tiony even helped his mother to ferry timber for an ongoing construction on Monday.

He said Lorinyo, suspicious of Tiony, told him to flee when the soldier went for his gun. “Tiony had told me to meet him in my mother’s house, but she asked me not to. When I asked why, she only said he had a gun. I’m lucky to be alive,” Kipruto said.

Lorinyo was shot several times when she tried to stop Tiony from killing his aunt.

The aunt’s body was found under the bed where she tried to hide.

A military source said Tiony was to travel to Lokichogio, Turkana County, on assignment.