Mt Elgon 'gang leaders' terrorizing residents charged, link MP to attacks

Piece by: Queen Serem
InPictures

Suspected masterminds of a criminal gang terrorising Mt Elgon residents were charged in a Bungoma court on Thursday.

Timothy Kitai alias Cheparkach and his younger brother Cleophas Ngeywo appeared in court under tight security.

They were accompanied by Flying Squad officers from Bungoma and Nairobi. The duo was charged with more than 50 counts.

The charges include murder, robbery with violence, rape, defilement and resisting arrest.

The offences were committed in Mt Elgon, Sirisia, Chwele and Kimilili on diverse dates. The suspects denied all the charges before principal magistrate Gabriel Omondi.

The duo caused a stir when they implicated Mt Elgon MP Fred Kapondi, saying he bought them a gun and took them to the community’s ‘laibon’ to take an oath.

"We want Hon Kapondi and the former DCC summoned by this court. Kapondi is the one who bought us the gun and was sending us money via M-Pesa," Cheparkach said.

Magistrate Omondi ordered they file a formal complaint with the police, but they objected saying police refused to take their evidence.

The court ordered their evidence be recorded by police before the next hearing date. The case will be heard on July 3. The duo will remain in custody.

They further caused drama when they said Kapondi burnt their houses when they were in custody.

They told the court Flying Squad officers infringed on their rights by handcuffing them from the time they surrendered to when they were charged.

Cheparkach surrendered to Eldoret police station on May 14, while Ngeywo surrendered at Kericho police station on May 21.

On March 6, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i imposed a dawn-to-dusk curfew in Mt Elgon to flush out the criminal gang that has been terrorising residents for close to one year.