Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet has not made public statements over the increased cases of cattle rustling. Photo/FILE.
According to Homa Bay CID boss Joseph Tuksho, the suspect identified as Netto Okoth Otieno hanged himself in the cells toilet using his trouser which was found tied to the ventilation rails.
He said the deceased was booked in for stock theft last Friday and was to be arraigned in court on Monday morning.
The body of the deceased was moved to the Homa Bay County Referral hospital Mortuary.
-Cattle rustling menace-
The country has been hit by a wave of cattle rustling incidents that has claimed hundreds of lives over the past few years.
The worst incidents were reported in Kerio Valley where at least 20 people have been killed in the past month.
Recently Deputy President William Ruto Valley in Elgeyo-Marakwet, Baringo and West Pokot Counties to assure communities in the valley that the Government will not allow recurrence of cattle rustling.
But despite his assurances, more incidents have been reported in the region where locals accuse police of failing to protect them.
Local newspaper Daily Nation on Monday said the “region has more guns than spoons”.
The government has lately deployed additional security officers to the valley—including the recruitment of 3,200 Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) to boost efforts in the war against cattle rustling.
“It is pointless to have police officers in shopping centers while criminals are attacking people from known valleys. Police must be stationed where criminals are coming from,” he said.
It is yet to be seen whether the latest interventions will be fruitful.
In 2012, 42 police officers were killed during an ambush by cattle rustlers in Suguta Valley, Samburu in one of the worst attacks on law enforcement agencies.
Another hot spot in the country is the Kibigori border of Kisumu and Nandi Counties.
Though the problem has largely been seen as a cattle rustling problem some leaders from these areas have linked it to politics.
To some, cattle rustling continue to be used as a scapegoat yet there were weightier issues of boundary disputes and shared scarce resources among the communities.
Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet has not made public statements over the increased cases of cattle rustling.
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