Police in Mt Elgon region have arrested four people for questioning over the murder of a Chief.
Chepyuk Location Chief, Geoffrey Kipsang, was found brutally murdered and his body buried in a shallow grave on Friday, August 27.
The grave was strategically hidden inside a maize farm plantation, about three kilometers from his home.
Reports indicate that the Chief's death angered villagers who stormed illegal liquor brew dens and torched houses suspected of harboring the killers.
Kipsang, who served as a Chief since the early 1990s, was instrumental in the fight against illicit liquor, rape, insecurity, and teen pregnancies among other crimes in the area.
Bungoma County Commissioner, Samuel Kimiti, confirmed the arrest of the four suspects saying criminals cannot be allowed to walk scot free.
“You cannot take the law in your hands and kill a government official and expect to go scot free, I want to tell all those who were involved that they will be arrested and face the full wrath of the law,” he warned.
The four suspects, two men and two women, are believed to have cooperated with others, who are being pursued by the police, to murder the government official.
The County Commissioner added that the four suspects are helping police with investigations and that they will be in produced in court to answer to murder charges.
He revealed that officers from the General Service Unit, regular police and the army were deployed in the Mt Elgon area to track down and arrest the killers and ensure safety of the locals.
"There is no need to panic as several security agents have been deployed in the area and are working round the clock to ensure the safety of residents,” he said.
Kimiti further added that detectives were investigating claims that the Chief was killed during an operation to weed out illicit brews in his area of jurisdiction.
"We know that most of the crimes and domestic violence cases are as a result of illicit brew, and the government will not relent in taking action against anyone who will be found engaging in such business."
He asked those who are interested in the liquor business to seek permits from relevant authorities.
The head of security also asked residents not to take the law into their own hands.
The county security boss further urged residents to cooperate with chiefs, saying that they play a key role in ensuring peace in the society.
