Top officers 'bungled Baragoi operation'

Former Samburu North Deputy OCPD Benson Makori testifies at Nakuru High Court yesterday in a case involving seven Turkana community leaders accused of murdering 42 police officers. [PHOTO: KIPSANG JOSEPH/standard]

A senior police officer has claimed that provincial officers meddled with the police operation in Baragoi in which 42 officers were killed by Turkana gunmen.

Former Samburu police boss Benson Makori said yesterday that provincial bosses led by the then Provincial Commissioner Osman Warfa and police boss John M’Mbijiwe interfered with the operation by the Government at the District level to recover the 501 cattle stolen from the Samburu.

Makori, who was the fifth witness to testify in the trial of seven Turkana community leaders accused of the murder of the police officers, said differences had emerged between police officers and then Operation Commander Willy Lugusa.

The leaders are Nachola Chief Christopher Lokarach, Nachola MCA Lawrence Lorunyei, Assistant Chief Amojong Lothuro, Jeremiah Ekurao, Loomwa Looyen, Ekai Loyee and Ewoi Losike.

“Lugusa was ordered by Provincial Security Committee to ‘appreciate’ (police language meaning to surveil before carrying out an operation) the ground,” Makori, who escaped with no injuries, told court.

The cattle was stolen on the night of October 19 and driven towards Lomerok village.

 BIASED OPERATION

Negotiations from both Turkana and Samburu hit a snag after only 40 cattle were returned on October 27 and Samburus rejected eight of them.

He said pressure grew from their Nakuru-based bosses who wanted the cattle returned immediately. The operation was launched despite enough signs that it would be fatal.

First, Makori said, the operation was biased as it targeted the Turkana instead of both communities. The Samburu had also stolen camels (said to number 280) from the Turkana.

Another blunder, Makori said, was that the officers were led only by Samburu police reservists who had been mobilised by their politicians.

On October 5, the court heard that the then Samburu County Commissioner Wilfred Nyagwanga gave police three days to return the stolen livestock after an attempt by Samburu warriors led to killing of 12 of them.

“Our contribution as police on the ground was ignored. I even warned the OCPD that things were going to be worse,” Makori told Justice Maureen Odero in Nakuru.

According to Makori, about 100 Samburu morans participated in the second fatal operation with a joint police force of 108.

The commanders from the different units, he added, disagreed after they spotted the stolen cattle from a distance a few hours before the shootout.

Hearing will continue on February 23, 2016 with three more police officers and a pathologist lined up to testify.