Police officers have launched investigations after a chief allegedly beat his younger brother who later died in hospital in Teso South sub county, Busia County. Teso South Deputy County Commissioner Willy Cheboi said the police officers and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are seeking to ascertain claims by family members and villagers of Kamarinyang village that Kaujakito location chief George Ekemer beat and injured his younger brother Ernest Etyang, 45, who died two days later due to injuries inflicted on his body.
He added that part of the investigation will include carrying out a postmortem on the body of the deceased to establish the real cause of death, “The family is alleging that the chief beat his brother who later died because of the body injuries he got but our officers have taken up the matter and will thoroughly investigate to find out the truth.” He appealed to the family members and villagers to be calm while refuting claims that the government is shielding the recently promoted chief from assistant chief, “It’s not true that we are hiding or protecting him. When the incident occurred members of the family together with the villagers became angry and went to his home baying for his blood. So we had to take him to a safe place as we carry out investigations and if he will be found with a case to answer then definitely we shall arrest and prosecute him.”
On their side, family members and villagers led by Etyang’s wife Maximilla Etyang insisted that he died due to beating from the chief, “The chief beat him because of a land dispute and the following morning he started complaining of pain in the stomach and at the back. We took him to Kocholia hospital where he died a few hours later.”
They want the law to take its course claiming that the administrator has been terrorizing them for long using his powers as a government officer, “We have never had peace in this family and village because of him. He uses his powers to harass us and tell us that there is nowhere we shall take him. He even beat and chased away his wife sometime back. So we are wondering are we not going to get help from the government because their officer is the one involved? Is he above the law?”
