Nandi Police Under Fire: Locals Allege Illegal Raids and Cow Theft

Nandi county residents demanded answers after Mosoriot police allegedly raided homes over the weekend, seizing 16 dairy cows, 11 sheep, and electronics Eyewitnesses described violent early-morning raids, claiming officers beat residents, issued threats, and confiscated property Residents linked the seizures to disputed loan guarantees, with some victims denying any involvement, while police reportedly ignored complaints Frustrated locals staged a protest at Mosoriot Police Station, calling for legal action against the officers involved Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya. Nandi county residents are demanding answers after police officers from Mosoriot Police Station were accused of raiding several homesteads over the weekend. The officers allegedly seized livestock and electronics in what locals describe as illegal operations under the guise of executing an auctioneering court order. What prompted police raids in Nandi county? According to residents, the raids left a total of 16 dairy cows, 11 sheep, and electronics of undisclosed value in police custody. Abraham Keter, a resident of Saniak village in Chesumei sub-county, recounted the ordeal, describing a violent early morning raid on Saturday, January 17. He claimed that over eight armed officers stormed his home at around 5am, taking six of his dairy cows and loading them into a waiting lorry. "When I went outside to ask what the problem was, a police officer hit me with a gun and I fell to the ground. They beat me and pinned me down as I watched more than twenty people drive away my cattle," Keter recounted in anguish. He further alleged that when he tried to question their actions, one of the officers verbally threatened him and his family in front of neighbours. "A man called Karanja told me, “I will shoot you and cut off your balls," in front of the villagers, in front of my mother, and in front of the children," Keter added. What are Nandi residents demanding from authorities? The raid, according to Keter, stemmed from a loan his wife supposedly guaranteed on behalf of his sister, who had defaulted. His wife, however, denied knowledge of the engagement, stating that she had just undergone a cesarean section on Sunday, January 4 and had only recovered the following day. "I only came out of the theatre on the morning of the fifth, and they are now saying that I guaranteed a loan," she explained. Keter was not the only resident affected by the raids, as his neighbour, Didmus Kiprotich, reported that armed officers raided his home on Friday, January 16. The farmer claimed the officer took his two dairy cows and two calves, which he valued at approximately KSh 400,000, adding that no court order was presented to justify the seizure. "If Emmy had run away, that would be understandable; I do not deny that I stood as her guarantor. But they took her property, then came for mine, and also went after my neighbour. That is theft," Kiprotich lamented. Efforts to seek redress from the police proved futile, according to Kiprotich, who said the local station chief was dismissive of their complaints. "We sat down with the OCS and explained to him what had happened. He told us, “No matter what you do, I will be transferred anyway.” That is not something you should say when you are a government officer," Kiprotich added. Frustrated, residents took their protest to Mosoriot Police Station on Monday, January 19, demanding accountability. The locals vowed to ensure the officers serve as an example for neglecting issues under the guise that they would be transferred. "They are robbing citizens and then being transferred. We want this case to set an example. We want this OCS to be charged and prosecuted. Because if an auctioneer comes to deceive you and gives you a court order that is not genuine, and you go ahead to execute it, then you are the thief as an officer," one resident stated. How did Nandi officers spark nationwide outrage? The latest incident comes days after a shocking act of police brutality in Nandi county drew widespread condemnation. Eight officers from Nandi Hills Police Station were caught on CCTV assaulting a group of young men playing pool late on Saturday, January 10. The footage showed the officers ordering the youths to lie on the floor and beating them with pool sticks, demanding their ID cards without cause. Source: TUKO.co.ke