Two police officers are nursing serious injuries after villagers attacked them during a raid in Trans-Nzoia County.
A statement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Monday, April 10, indicated that the police had raided a chang'aa den when the incident happened.
The team was closing in on a renowned brewer identified as Mulati and her husband when the villagers responded to screams and descended on the officers.
"Her proficiency in brewing the most potent local brew is unparalleled and Bwake villagers were willing to pay the ultimate price in protecting her, as the officers would later learn.
"No sooner had they announced their entry, than Mulati’s wife started throwing tantrums alerting the whole village, of the presence of the unwelcome intruders," read the statement in part.
According to the reports, Mulati's screams attracted the villagers, most of them drunkards, who were armed with stones and other projectiles.
The police were then forced to fire into the air to disperse the crowd.
"Before the Sergeant in charge of the operation ordered his men to arrest the woman and her husband, a hail of stones and other projectiles came falling on the officers forcing them to retreat.
"They had to fire several rounds in the air to scare away the crowd that was baying for their blood," added the officers.
They further noted that at the time of the raid, on Saturday, April 9, there were drunkards on the compound partaking from a 'set up was well organized though not technologically advanced, reminiscent of a distilling plant of the medieval times.'
The injured officers were taken to Kitale referral hospital for specialized treatment.
Police have launched investigations into the incident and are planning another swoop in the village as they intensify fight against illegal brew.
