Police have killed three suspected bandits in Kangalita in Kalemnyang, Turkana County after a heated exchange of fire.
According to the National Police Service (NPS), two of the suspects, aged 37 and 39, had previous criminal records which included killing a police officer three years ago.
"Yesterday 30/3/2024, a shootout between NPS Officers from Loima and suspected bandits at Kangalita in Kalemnyang left 3 of the suspects fatally wounded," NPS stated.
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One of the suspects, Simon Egielan Lopongorei, 37, is said to be a notorious bandit and gang leader who has three pending court cases of robbery with violence, gang rape and threatening to kill.
Police say Egielan has been under investigation for a series of unresolved violent crimes, including highway robberies, stock theft and possession of illicit firearms for hire within Loima Sub-County.
The second suspect, Lokucha Ngeruk alias sharpshooter, 39, was a close associate and aide to Egielan and has been on the run after the killing of a police officer at Kangalita three years ago, and ambush on Lorugum OCS on December 28, 2023, occasioning him actual bodily harm.
The third suspect, Tiya Logumo, 21, is an accomplice to the two.
The police also recovered an AK47 rifle with three rounds of ammunition and several spent cartridges.
"Recovered from the scene was an AK 47 Rifle with a magazine containing 3 rounds of ammunition together with spent cartridges," NPS added.
The bodies of the suspects were taken to Lodwar County Referral Hospital pending post-mortem examination as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Loima continues with investigations.
"The National Police Service would like to thank members of the public for their continued cooperation in the ongoing government efforts to restore peace and normalcy in the "Dangerous and Disturbed Zones" within the North Rift Region," NPS added.
In December 2023, the government announced plans to implement a reward program for Kenyans who aid in the arrest of banditry suspects.
"Going forward, the government through the Interior Ministry will run a program to financially reward gallant officers and members of the public whose efforts will result in the arrest of the key planners, executors and enablers of banditry whose profiles will be published countrywide in the new year," Interior CS Kithure Kindiki declared.
Kindiki highlighted the severe impacts of cattle rustling on pastoral communities, describing it as a threat to their economic livelihoods, aggravating conditions of poverty in the rangelands, and fueling communal grievances leading to revenge attacks.
