Tension is high in Maron area, Embolot Ward in Elgeyo Marakwet County after a police officer was killed and his body burned for reportedly rescuing some girls forced to undergo FGM.

Corporal Mushote Boma was manning Embobut Police Post on Monday, December 11 when a gang of youth stormed the facility and lynched him.

According to a report filed at Chesoi Police Station, the incident started when at around 10 am, police officers and a contingent of 10 GSU officers busted an FGM rite in an operation in Embobut Forest.

The officers are said to have rescued six girls who had already undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), before taking them to Embobut Police Post.

Macabre killing

“As a result, the angry youth believed to be coming from Maron VTC Centre Marakwet East and its surrounding who were armed with stones and sticks,” the police report says. “… they stoned and hit him on his head with their weapons to death.”

After lynching him, the gang then partly burned his body using his mattress and escaped with his G3 Riffle.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the gang comprised of bandits who were protecting circumcisers attending the banned rite in Embobut Forest.

Girls receiving treatment

According to County Police Commander Peter Mulinge, the girls are now receiving treatment at Iten County Referral Hospital.

“There was a rescue operation for girls who were undergoing FGM, and some of the girls had already been mutilated. There were many but six were rescued, but those who were conducting the rite were also protected by bandits and so they turned against the officers” Mulinge says.

The police boss adds: “The officers were not overpowered. The gang felt aggrieved and followed them to the police post and caught one of the officers unawares and they killed him within the police post.”