DNK International A wave of violence believed to be retaliatory in nature has shaken the Chepareria area of West Pokot County. A group of armed men stormed two homesteads, leaving behind a trail of destruction and fear.
Police at Chepareria Police Station received a report from Mongorion Sub-location Assistant Chief Michael Cheserian, stating that at around 4:30 p.m., five men led by a known suspect, Kamsino Cheptuko, raided the home of National Police Reservist (NPR) officer Stephen Chamonges.
The attackers, armed with pangas and axes, confronted Chamonges’ wife, Joyce Chamonges. They held her for some time while issuing death threats and carrying out acts of destruction.
The assailants broke padlocks and forcefully removed wooden doors from both the main house and the kitchen to gain entry, where they stole Sh1,200.
In a continued rampage, the group proceeded to the home of Assistant Chief Cheserian, where they destroyed toilet doors, removed hinges and locks, and broke into his bedroom. Once inside, they dragged out a bed and bedding, cutting the bed into pieces before moving to the kitchen and destroying household utensils.
Preliminary investigations suggest the attack may have been a retaliatory response following an earlier multi-agency raid at one of the suspects’ homes, where 15 liters of illicit brew were recovered.
Police officers visited and processed both scenes. While no arrests have been made so far, investigations are ongoing at Chepareria Police Station.
