A combined force comprising of officers from General Service Unit (GSU), Regular and Administration Police are currently combing Ugweri market in Embu East, where a senior police officer was hacked to death on Wednesday as he led a team in pursuing suspected killers of Kamaindi Chief, Japhet Mukengu.
The Tharaka Nithi County Commissioner (CC), Beverly Opwora speaking in her office Monday said the operation started immediately following the killing of Chief Inspector of Police, Joseph Kinyua Ngure, the Officer Commanding Chuka Police Station.
The County Police Commander (CPC), Charles Mbatu confirmed that already five suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident and were arraigned in Chuka Court on Thursday.
The Court directed that the five, including Peter Karani, Cecilia Katuura, Gerald Njeru, Julius Mburu and Leah Muthoni remain in custody for 15 days to allow detectives to finalize investigations before they take plea on May 17, 2019.
The Court Prosecutor, Japhet Kiptum said the five would most likely be charged with murder of the late chief and the OCS.
Mbatu asked residents to volunteer any information that would help in arresting other suspects.
The late OCS who was in company of other officers at the market was allegedly killed by a suspect in the chief’s murder, David Ikaaba as he tried to apprehend him.
The suspect was then shot dead by a security officer in the company of a police informer said to have been injured in the process by irate members of the public. The informer is admitted to Embu hospital
A spot check by KNA revealed that that tension remained high at the village and some residents have started fleeing their homes for fear of facing the government’s wrath.
The late chief was murdered by irate residents on Tuesday evening after his brother, Gikware Mukengu confiscated some goats that had trespassed into his farm. The goats belong to a resident who went missing last December only for his remains to be found four months later at River Thuci.
The chief was hacked to death with crude weapons and his body set ablaze. He had visited the village to solve a row between the locals and his brother who had refused to release the goats.
The locals reportedly said the remains in a sack were found at a section of the river where the late chief had enclosed and barred them from fetching water, raising some suspicion.
By Kenneth Marangu
