Residents of Chimoi village in Matete Sub County stormed a police camp in protest following news about the death of their colleague in hands of the security officers.
Briefing the media on Thursday, Matete DAPC, Mr. James Arama, confirmed the incident in which the deceased identified as Mr. Moi Shikuku, 30 years old, was among suspects who had been detained following police swoop on illicit brew dens in the area.
“It is true hundreds of Matete residents stormed our Chimoi AP camp demanding explanations over the demise of Shikuku,” said Arama who dismissed as mere speculations claims attributing the cause of death to one of his officers.
According to interviewed residents who sought anonymity, the deceased was allegedly assaulted by an administration police officer, “thus our storming the police post seeking justice,” charged the residents.
The DAPC said the deceased was among drunks who had been arrested while consuming outlawed chang’aa in one of the dens around Chimoi area.
“Though the man was heavily drunk at the time of his arrest, and looked so weak,” said the official, adding that his officers were forced to rush him at Chimoi Health Centre where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The incident incited members of public who stormed the police post before destroying household property of unknown value belonging to the officers who reside at the camp before burning a motorbike of one officer to ashes.
The agitated crowd disrupted transport and communication activity after it barricaded a section of the busy Eldoret-Webuye highway for about seven hours.
“The rowdy residents engaged my officers in running battles for several hours before the situation was normalized after we received support from our colleagues at Malava Police Station,” added Arama.
The deceased’s body was transferred to Webuye Sub County Hospital in Bungoma County.
Lwandet assistant chief disclosed that the victim who operates as a Matatu tout was a habitual drunker who whenever he had some cash spent most of his time in drinking dens and it seems he took excess illicit brew on an empty stomach thus causing his death.
The local administrator appealed for calmness begging the residents to stop speculations and wait for a postmortem report to establish the exact cause his death.
