Shock as police officer among slain ‘poachers’

Larry Kieng

by: The People in National January 22, 2014

Nyeri police boss Larry Kieng said the officer gunned down at Solio Ranch on Saturday had sought leave to attend to his reportedly expectant wife on Saturday. The officer was killed alongside another suspected poacher by KWS and GSU officers. Photo/Paul Wanjiru

A police officer attached to the Central Bank of Kenya Nyeri was among two poachers gunned downed by rangers from the Kenya Wildlife Service and General Service Unit officers on Saturday. The revelation has sparked fear among wildlife conservationists over the possibility of more security officers being involved in the poaching yet they are supposed to enforce the very law which prohibits the vice.

Addressing journalists in Nyeri yesterday, area police boss Larry Kieng said the officer, a constable, had sought leave to attend to his reportedly expectant wife that Saturday, but —unknown to his bosses—joined his accomplices and proceeded to Solio Ranch. The officer lived in Nanyuki. ‘’The police fraternity in Nyeri is shocked by the incident as the young constable was posted here recently.
Many of our officers do not know him and may be why we did not suspect his moves,” said Kieng. The police boss said they are investigating the source of the gun recovered from the suspects, adding that they suspect that it may have been from the army. “G3 rifles are commonly used by armed forces. We were able to identify the officer because the bunch of keys recovered from him could open his vehicle parked at the Nyeri Police Division,” he said.
Following the incident, Kieng said they are keenly monitoring new officers to get rid of rogue ones who are out to tarnish the force’s name. Police sources, who talked to The People on condition of anonymity, said they suspect it was not the first time the officer-turned-poacher participated in poaching because he comes from Laikipia county, where KWS has been grappling with poachers.
‘’We have reasons to suspect that this particular officer has been in the illicit trade for long. In fact, he could have been the leader of armed poachers who have been giving KWS a headache at the Solio Ranch,” said an officer. In the Saturday night incident, KWS and GSU officers gunned down two suspected poachers and recovered a rifle at the ranch.
The two were allegedly targeting white rhinos in the expansive ranch when security officers spotted them. Kieni West police boss Kipruto Kemboi said the officers saw the suspects wandering in the ranch and shooting at the animals and ambushed them. He said the two declined to surrender and instead started firing at the officers, sparking a fire exchange. – By JOSPHAT KINYUA