Police officers from Tapach police station in Pokot South Sub-County recovered 4 loaded AK-47 assault rifles from a motorcycle rider.
The motorcycle rider was ferrying two passengers along the Kapsangar-Sina road towards Sugut center when the officers stopped them.
However, the rider defied the order, and sped off, before accidentally dropping the sack, which the sleuths later learnt that it had four AK-47 rifles.
The police revealed that each rifle had a magazine loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition.
“Upon checking on what was contained in the sack, four AK-47 assault rifles were found, each loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition,” tweeted the National Police Service.
A report by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) noted that one police officer sustained injuries during the encounter.
The police stated that the recovered arms and ammunition were safely held in Kibichbich Police Station as investigations continue.
West Pokot, Elgeiyo Marakwet, Baringo and Turkana counties have experienced a spate of security attacks fueled by bandits.
Early in June, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National government Fred Matiang’i imposed a 30-day curfew in Elgeyo Marakwet after the school bus shooting. The curfew was later extended and is still in force.
The cessation of movement was imposed alongside a disarmament operation targeting illegal gun holders blamed for causing bloodshed in the region.
In May, three children playing in a nearby area and a herder were ambushed and shot dead in the Kapkoros area of the Kerio Valley by suspected bandits.
The disarmament exercise is being carried out by Multi-agency teams to flush out the criminals and restore normalcy.
