Leaders of killer gang flee to Uganda

 A nurse attends to Mr Chrispinus Wanjala at Bungoma District Hospital following an attack on Mayanja village

In Summary

• Five suspects have so far escaped to Uganda since the brutal killing of 10 people in Bungoma and Busia counties in the past three weeks.
• Teso police boss Elphas Korir confirmed that the two ring leaders had indeed escaped to Uganda.
• In Busia, police boss Kenneth Kimani confirmed that three suspects had escaped to Uganda.

Two ringleaders of the gang behind the killings in Busia have escaped to Uganda.

Investigations DRIVE HOTThursday established that the two fled through the Malaba border town after they were implicated by their juniors who were later lynched in Akobwait village, Teso.

Five suspects have so far escaped to Uganda since the brutal killing of 10 people in Bungoma and Busia counties in the past three weeks.

More than 100 people have been injured in the attacks in the two counties.

And Thursday Mr Fred Wetang’ula, the brother of Bungoma senator Moses Wetang’ula, who has been questioned by police in connection with the violence in the county, denied any involvement.

He asked Bungoma county commissioner Jamleck Baruga to leave the police to do their work instead of spreading propaganda about the attacks.

“Police summoned me after Mr Baruga mentioned my name at a public meeting. Up to now they (police) have no evidence linking me to the violence. Why is the commissioner linking me to the chaos?” he asked.

Mr Wetang’ula could not understand why the authorities were targeting Ford Kenya in their investigations if the violence is due to a supremacy war between two parties in Bungoma as alleged.

Teso police boss Elphas Korir confirmed that the two ring leaders had indeed escaped to Uganda.

He said efforts had been stepped up to ensure they were arrested and repatriated to Kenya to face murder and robbery with violence charges.

“We have contacted our (police) counterparts in Uganda to assist in apprehending the suspects,” Mr Korir said in an interview with the DRIVE HOT in Busia Town where he was attending a peace meeting yesterday.

Mr Korir said 145 suspects had been arrested in connection with the violence, which began last month. Five of them have been charged with robbery and murder.

He said efforts to bring to book some suspects were increasingly getting difficult because some of the Teso residents had relatives in Uganda, where the community also has roots.

Seven homes were two weeks ago hit by the well-organised gang in Teso.

Mr Korir said the attacks were executed in a similar manner as those in Bungoma, where the gangs enter homesteads while singing, claiming they had apprehended thieves.

They then ask occupants of the homesteads to come out of their houses before turning against them with sharp objects — including axes, machetes and spears. They hack some of them to death.

The attackers operate in groups of between 10 and 15, Mr Korir said.

“We are exploring the key motive of the attacks and we are sure we will get to the bottom of it,” he said.