Police launch probe into bouncers death

By Henry Andanje Police have launched investigations into the brutal murder of six bouncers on Friday afternoon during the funeral service of businessman Johannes Okoth Aduol in Bumula, Busia county. The National Police Service Director of Communication Services Charles Owino yesterday warned that the suspects who took part in the attack would be pursued, arrested and charged with murder once the investigations are complete. “Such attacks are illegal and unlawful and amounts to murder. Sad enough, in most cases there is usually no proof of the guilt of the victims,” Owino said. Owino said the country has laws that are preventive, remedial and punitive, and which were being enforced adding that mob justice can never be a delivery mechanism for imparting justice. “It is simply murder. The law is comprehensible and unequivocal that no person shall be deprived of life intentionally except in the exercise of the execution of a sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence which he or she has been convicted of,” Owino said. He also defended the police saying such attacks were taken seriously and are always investigated. Yesterday, Busia County Commissioner Jacob Narengo also condemned the attack and cautioned members of the public against taking law in their hands. Unknown destination Narengo urged the locals to share vital information to the detectives to enable them to apprehend the killers of the six and the late businessman. Angry mourners attacked and lynched six people at the funeral of Aduol in Masebula village, Busia county, on Friday night in an incident that has shocked the nation. The six, said to have been among a group of 10 men hired as “bouncers” had turned up at the funeral of the businessman who was shot dead two weeks ago by unknown assailants. They have since been identified as William Omondi alias ‘Sisqo’, Philip Kwach, Evans Onyango Ochieng, Richard Odero, David Okeyo and Elvis Odoyo Ochieng. Investigations into the death of Aduol have been going on for a fortnight though they have not yielded anything. Preliminary report indicates that on October 31 at around 8pm at Masebula village, the deceased’s wife Mercy Awuor Okoth reported that a two-man armed gang had stormed their house and threatened to shoot them. She said she managed to escape through the back door and raised alarm and alerted boda boda riders. However, when they went to the homestead, they found that the two had already left with her husband to unknown destination. The matter was reported at Bumula Police Station OB 25/31/10/2019 and investigations commenced. Kagonya Assistant Chief Francis Barasa later that night reported that the body was found in an abandoned house with a gunshot wound on the chest. At the scene, police found a spent cartridge of 7.62mm calibre, which was taken for ballistic examination. On Friday, the deceased’s wife hired seven bouncers from Ahero in Kisumu county to provide security during the funeral. The six were attacked by locals after they left Sega Mortuary following claims that they failed to identify themselves. They later revealed that they had been hired by one of the widows, Mercy, who was with the deceased the night he was picked and later killed. Mercy, however, denied having hired the seven, prompting the attack by the locals and the bodaboda riders. The attack took less than 10 minutes and bodies of the six were strewn within the village. Many Kenyans have been killed through mob attacks, often with official complicity. Most perpetrators are never held accountable, with detectives sometimes in cover-ups, even when the perpetrators are widely known. A statement by the Association of Bouncers of Kenya chief executive officer Israel Ikola revealed that the attackers were incited by the deceased wife and Boniface Aduol and Joseph Opondo who are said to be the deceased’s brothers. “The narrative of mistaken identity is a flimsy excuse we cannot stomach as murder is a criminal offence and should be treated as such,” Ikola said. The National Police Service Director of Communication Charles Owino yesterday warned that those who took part in the attack would be pursued, arrested and charged with murder once the investigations are complete. “Such attacks are illegal and unlawful and amounts to murder. Sad enough, in most cases there is usually no proof of the guilt of the victims,” Owino said. Owino said the country has laws that are preventive, remedial and punitive, and which were being enforced adding that mob justice can never be a delivery mechanism for imparting justice. “It is simply murder. The law is comprehensible and unequivocal that no person shall be deprived of his life intentionally except in the exercise of the execution of a sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence which he or she has been convicted,” Owino said. He also defended the police saying such attacks were taken seriously and were always being investigated. Yesterday the Busia County Commissioner Jacob Narengo condemned the attack saying investigations had been launched to establish the allegations that the deceased persons were found with some weapons. He said earlier reports alleged that the deceased had a black bag, which was found in a hearse vehicle having the said weapons, which angered the crowd and went for their lives. The Commissioner cautioned members of the public to stop taking law into their hands, and instead take suspects to the police. He further urged the locals to share vital information to the detectives to enable them to apprehend the killers of the six and the late businessman. In August this year, another man, the son of Busia prominent businessman the late Peter Gitau was also attacked at Esikulu area near Matayos sub county headquarters. Two boda boda riders were arrested as a result.

Police launch probe into bouncers death

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