Uasin Gishu governor’s guard in hospital after gang ambush

Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago

Governor Jackson Mandago's bodyguard is nursing injuries in hospital after he was attacked by robbers on Friday in Mosoriot as he was walking home after work.

The officer, only identified as Mr Bungei, was ambushed by the gang at Kapng'etich shopping centre, 20km from Eldoret town, at around midnight.

Eldoret East police OCPD Nelson Taliti said Bungei had just alighted from a public service vehicle when he was ambushed.

"The bodyguard was attacked from behind and hit on the head before the thugs made away with Sh7,000 and his wallet but did not take his pistol. They seem to be members of a criminal gang that has been terrorising Mosoriot residents for some time," said the OCPD.

Taliti said the area in which the governor's bodyguard was attacked is a hotspot for crime and several locals have been robbed and three people killed there.

"The matter is primarily in the jurisdiction of our Nandi counterparts but we are working together to speedily get to the root of the attack. We are currently getting a good lead from a phone signal and I'm optimistic they will be arrested soon," said Taliti.

A doctor who attended to the injured officer said his condition had been stabilised after coming out of the theatre where he was found to have sustained injuries on the back side of his head.

"The patient is out of danger as at now. He is getting some rest as we monitor the situation," said the doctor.

The incident comes in the wake of increased criminal attacks in the county with residents raising concern over what they term as laxity by the area security personnel that has led to re-emergence of criminal gangs.

Last week, four people including a night guard were killed in mysterious circumstances. Two of the deceased were found with deep cuts on their heads in Huruma Estate early last week while another was killed in Strawbag last weekend.

On Saturday morning, a man working as a guard in Eldoret was found murdered and stuffed in a carton behind a building along the busy Oginga-Odinga street.