More Days in Custody for Baragoi Chief Accused of Robbery with Violence

BARAGOI, Kenya, Jun 29-A chief accused of robbery with violence will spend more days in police custody, to allow detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) conclude their investigations.

Chief Thomas Lentoimaga is accused of engaging in robbery with violence against the same people he is supposed to protect.

Detectives nabbed the administrator on June 16, and thereafter arraigned him in a Baragoi Court.

Then, he did not plead to the charges levelled against him.

Detectives had sought for two weeks to conclude investigations but were granted 7 days during a second appearance.

He was arrested after police said he was linked to crime within his area of jurisdiction.

He appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate John Tamar. Detectives said they had received crucial intelligence linking him to crime from members of the public.

Administrators in the area have lately been on spot for allegedly engaging in crime and more so cattle rustling- which is blamed for loss of both security and civilian lives.

Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya has since warned administrators against operating outside their oath of office, saying those linked to crime will be fired and charged in court.

“We are ready to part ways with chiefs who don’t cooperate with the government. When stolen livestock is brought to your area you should know and report immediately,” he said.

According to reports, cattle rustling has been commercialised by international criminal networks in East Africa, aided by a proliferation of small weapons.

In one 2017 incident in Laikipia County, about 10 000 pastoralists with automatic rifles made off with 135 000 head of cattle.