Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Town.

AN unidentified wealthy businessman from Ongata Rongai area of Nairobi had his decomposing body fished out from the swollen waters of River Kuja in lower part of Uriri district within Migori County by police.

The deceased seemed to have been lured into the area apparently for lucrative business opportunity by some young men from the area who are working in Nairobi. He drove his car all along from Nairobi to the area in the company of his assailants who later, for some unknown reason, killed him.

The killers had the deceased body tied up with heavy stones to conceal his death. But surprisingly the decomposed body later resurfaced and was seen floating in the water by herdsmen who reported the matter to the local administration and police.

The incident took place in Komenya sub-location on North Kanyamkago within Uriri district. The area D.C. George Kiplagat confirmed the incident and told this writer that the CID officers from both Migori and Rongo were handling the case as a murder case. Score of people are being questioned including those in whose homestead the deceased motor vehicle was recovered.

Meanwhile the residents of both Rongo and Uriri districts have expressed concern and disappointment over the high rate of police bonds being issued to the suspected hard-core criminals by the Awendo Police Station and wanted the matter to be investigated by the Commissioner of Police Mr Nteere.

They want those officers, including the OCS, who have stayed in one station for more than five years, to be shuffled and replaced by fresh officers. Something unusual is happening at Awendo Police Station. Criminals elements caught red handed with goods suspected to have been stolen are quickly freed on police bond before being arraigned to court.

The Uriri D.C. George Kiplagat expressed deep concern at what is happening at Awendo Police Station. He explained that Administration Police Officers in Uriri recently arrested a notorious criminal suspected to have been behind a series spate of housebreaking and theft around Mori near Rapogi and handed them to Awendo Police Station. But within a day or two the suspect were back home under the pretext that their cases were being actively investigated.

The high rate with which the suspected dangerous criminals are regaining their freedom at the Awendo Poiice Station, before they are arraigned in court, is worrying the local members of the Provincial Administration working in the areas. The station appeared to have been compromised by criminals.

In recent months, the Administration Police officers stationed at Uriri DC’s Office and Rapogi DO’s office have been battling with dangerous criminals in the areas who have adopted a new method of raiding homes of those working outside the region and helping themselves to the household goods, including sofa sets and beds and beddings as well as utensils – – at time clearing those houses empty.

A joint effort by these officers in the recent past resulted in some of the stolen goods being recovered in some homes of the suspected hard-core criminal elements.

Some of the suspects were arrested and handed over to the police, but they quickly regained their freedom after being released on police bond even before being arraigned in courts to answer criminal charges.

“The actions of some unpatriotic police officers in this particular station are making the administration of justice in the area rather difficult.”

”It is only the court of laws which are competent in assessing the security of the suspect applying for court bails, and the used of police bond by the officers at Awendo Police Station is an abuse of the exercise, and should be brought to an immediate end, said one resident who requested for his anonymity for fear of possible reprisal.

The residents alleged that there need to be some elements of transparency and accountability in the issuance of numerous police bonds in freeing suspect criminals and the matter need to be looked into urgently by the higher police authorities.

Ends