By Boniface Ongeri
Police in Garissa yesterday arrested a man they believe is behind the killings of three Kenya Defence Force (KDF) soldiers.
Garissa County Commissioner Mohammed Maalim said the suspect was traced to his hideout in Sangailu in Ijara District following a tip-off from members of the public.
“He perfectly fits the description of the man who killed the soldiers as they repaired a flat tyre,” he said, adding the arrest brings to two the number of suspects caught in connection with the killings.
Mr Maalim thanked wananchi for leading the police to the suspect’s hideout as he was preparing to flee to Somalia.The soldiers’ killing sparked rampage by security officers who beat and harassed residents and burnt down properties in the town.
Rebuilding
In the meantime, residents whose property was gutted by the soldiers have started rebuilding their businesses.
Marian Hassan whose vegetable stall was among those burnt told The Standard that she will not bank on government promises of compensation. North Eastern deputy CID boss Eregi Ngatia told The Standard detectives are interrogating the suspect before he appears in court.
Preliminary findings show the suspect is an explosive expert who served the militant group.
“He has been positively identified, he is a dangerous man but we are yet to get his accomplices,” said Ngatia.
Protests
The killing of the soldiers prompted a police operation that sparked protests and left property destroyed.A parliamentary group is investigating the incident.KDF has denied claims they harassed Garissa residents and burnt property while hunting down the assailants.
KDF spokesman, Col Cyrus Oguna, said soldiers were not involved in hunting down the gang that killed the three soldiers on November 19.On Friday, Prime Minister Raila Odinga promised compensation to the victims of security officers’ riot.
The PM directed the Ministry of Special Programmes to assess the damage caused during the Monday fracas.
But on Saturday, the Minister for Special Programmes Esther Murugi said the Government has no policy to compensate victims of riots and clashes.
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