Drama as 5 People are arrested at a morgue as they come to view body of slain MCA.

(Clockwise from top left) 1. Tiaty MP Asman Kamama speaking to the press on Friday after viewing the body of slain Churo/Amaya MCA Thomas Loktari Minito at Ol Donyo Sabuk Funeral Home. 2. Four of the suspects who were arrested by the police for questioning in relation to the murder. 3. The spot where the body of the Late Minito was found at the Ol Donyo Bridge which links Kiambu and Machakos Counties. 4. A file picture of the late Thomas Loktari Minito.

There was drama at Ol Donyo Sabuk Funeral Home Matungulu Constituency in Machakos County as detectives working in the homicide department whisked away five people for questioning in connection to the death of Churo/Amaya MCA Thomas Loktari Minito.

All was well as relatives and friends, who included Tiaty MP Asman Kamama came to verify the body of the deceased at the morgue where it has been laid after it was found dump at the Ol Donyo Bridge along Athi River on Thursday evening. Hon. Kamama had just finished a press briefing after

positively identifying the body of the Late Minito, who happens to be his brother-in-law.

A group of men and women then arrived in several cars and headed straight to the morgue to view the body. Upon seeing them, the first group (which had accompanied the legislator) instructed the morgue attendant not to allow the latter group as according to them they were political rivals of the late MCA and had just come to ‘shed crocodile tears’.

“What brought you here all the way from Baringo as you are not even his relative? Get out of here! You have just come here to shed crocodile tears!” shouted one of the relatives.

As things hot up, it attracted the attention of the homicide detectives who after interrogating them, they were bundled into a waiting police van and whisked away.

Among those arrested is Minito’s rival for the Churo/Amaya Ward seat Mr. Peter Pembee.

While speaking to the press, Hon. Kamama appealed for calm in Baringo County as police investigated the matter adding that, as leaders, they felt so insecure. He condemned the crime adding that this murder had been executed by well-trained people who knew what they were doing.

“This is a high-tech extrajudicial execution by very well trained hit men. We believe this murder has nothing to do with the people of Baringo County because it has happened so many kilometres away from home. We suspect the police may have been involved because my brother-in-law was whisked away by three people at a hotel in Kabarnet town on Tuesday afternoon while eating lunch with a county official from Tiaty by people who identified themselves as police officers. That was the last time we saw or heard about him,” said Kamama.

Kamama called on the security organs to take up the matter and ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous act were apprehended and brought to book. He called on the Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett to accord them with security.

He recommended for a joint county police effort to curb similar incident in the area as the spot the Late Minito was found was barely a few metres from where the bodies identified as those missing lawyer Willie Kimani and taxi driver Joseph Muiruri were found in July last year.

“The county police commanders of both Kiambu and Machakos counties need to come up with a joint surveillance programme to patrol the area, especially at night. We also need to locate a permanent police roadblock near that bridge,” said Kamama.

Baringo Lands, Housing and Urban Development CEC Edwin Mariach Riamangura lamented about the runaway insecurity in Tiaty constituency, an area which in February lost Loyamorok MCA the late Kibet Cheretei and Tiaty aspirant MP Simon Kitamba who were shot dead by unknown assailants.

“There is a worrying trend in Tiaty Constituency where political leaders are killed anyhow,” he said.

The Late Minito had been arrested a month ago in Kabarnet and taken to the Central Police Station in Nakuru County in suspicion of being behind the attacks at the Mukutan Nature Conservancy a month ago.

Minito was accused of propagating hate, leading to the burning of the Mukutan Retreat Lodge in the Laikipia Nature Conservancy. Before his arrest then, he was quoted in the media criticising the ongoing security operation to flush out illegal herders from ranches and conservancies in Laikipia County.

He claimed military officers had shot and killed thousands of animals grazing on vast private lands owned by white farmers.

Armed herders at the conservancy on the border of Laikipia and Baringo counties are reported to have carried out an extensive arson attack, opening fire on staff, including the co-manager of the conservancy.