Police told to speed up Benson Kiptire murder probe

Elgeyo-Marakwet Deputy Governor Wesley Rotich during a past event. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Political leaders in Elgeyo-Marakwet County have called on the government to speed up the investigation into the murder of a former ward representative.

Led by the deputy governor Wesley Rotich they called on the government to speed up investigation and bring to book the killers of Benson Kiptire, who was the former ward representative for Kapyego.

Mr Rotich was speaking Friday during the memorial service for the victim at Eldoret African Inland Church.

He called urged locals not to make any speculation on the killing of Kiptire but to let the government investigate his killers.

Kiptire was abducted and bundled into a vehicle by unknown people last month while at Rock Centre in Eldoret at around noon.

According to his brother Mr Chris Kiptire, the former MCA was strangled to death with a wire.

“We have viewed the body and it had an injury near the eye. It’s sad and a great loss to the family and the nation. He was the head of the family and leader of the community,” he said.

The police have launched into the murder.

“We are doing investigations and tomorrow we shall be able to identify the body after taking the fingerprints,” he said.

Leaders from Elgeyo-Marakwet County led by Mr Murkomen expressed their sadness over the killing of the former MCA.

"I am shattered. I am in so much pain. My friend and brother...Benson Kiptire former MCA Kapyego has been murdered. Benson was my county office liaison officer. I am still in utter shock," said Mr Murkomen in a tweet.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Marakwet East MP Kangongo Bowen.

Kiptire had been recently vocal on issues of insecurity on the Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot and East Baringo border.

He was at his shop at Rock Centre on the Eldoret-Iten road when a vehicle, Toyota Prado, stopped by and four people hopped out, identified themselves as police officers and bundled him into it and sped off towards Eldoret town.

According to his wife, who was present during the abduction, Kiptire sought to know why he was being arrested but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

“We don’t know the motive behind the arrest,” she said in shock.