Tension high in Kobot village in Kerio Valley, after a primary school teacher was killed in a fresh attack by bandits on yesterday afternoon.
The armed attackers suspected to be from neighbouring Marakwet East took away more than 125 cows.
Kemboi Simotwo, 26, a primary school teacher was herding livestock belonging to six families with some children when they were ambushed by the gun-wielding criminals. The assailants shot at him before driving away the cows.
The death of the teacher brings to 31 the number of people killed since the beginning of the year, with scores of others nursing gunshot injuries.
The incident happened barely five days after three people were killed in the same sub-county, Baringo North, in separate attacks by bandits.
Locals told the Nation the criminals numbered more than 50 and had divided themselves into teams before the attack, in a strategy to avoid being repulsed. They drove the herd towards Tot in neighbouring Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Mr Reuben Ruto, a resident, recalled that gunshots pierced the air for hours when the raiders surrounded the grazing field. Locals later found the body of the teacher riddled with tens of bullets.
“The children who were herding the animals with the teacher were harassed by the bandits, who had taken them hostage before directing them to run away,” said Mr Ruto.
“It is sad that we have lost another life to banditry, this time orchestrated by bandits from the neighbouring Marakwet community. We are perturbed by the incident because we have lived for decades as good neighbours,” he said.
He claimed the tutor’s body was sprayed with more than 20 bullets.
Confirming the incident, Baringo County Police Commander Adamson Bungei said security officers responded to the attack but did not recover the stolen livestock.
“Officers responded to repulse the bandits but they were challenged by the gun-wielding criminals, who even threw a rocket-propelled grenade an indication that they had sophisticated weapons. It is unfortunate that one person was killed in the attack that saw more than 125 cows driven away,” said Mr Bungei
