The widows of three men killed at an explosion at Karebe gold mines in Nandi county are crying for justice from the government.
Geofrey Kipchirchir Rotich, 35, Julius Agui, 45 and Geoffrey Onyango, 27, died in a tunnel on January 23, 2023 in an explosion ignited by illegal miners who want them gone.
Caroline Rotich, a widow of Geoffrey Rotich and a mother of three, said her family was under constant harassment and intimidation from the families of suspects who took the life of her husband. They were illegal miners.
Sitting next to the grave of her husband at Kibisem Village in Chemase location, Caroline said strangers have been terrorising them at night and trying to break into her house to force them out of the area.
“At nightfall, possibly looking for clothes of my husband which we are told are needed for a ritual to cleanse the murders against curses cast by elders against them,” Caroline said.
The late Rotich was an one of Karebe’s experienced underground gold miner, having worked at the firm since moving into the area to explore in 2008.
Ten people have so far been arrested after they were directly linked to the illegal blasting of dynamite in the tunnels of the mining company that was issued a full mining licence by the government in 2022.
Initially detectives from DCI headquarters arrested 24 suspects and after their in-depth analysis found 10 of them culpable.
The detectives included ballistic, bomb and homicide squad experts who carried out the investigation with the support from regular police from Tinderet and Nandi Hills subcounty command posts.
Yesterday, Jane Sang, 52, mother of Rotich. said her son was the sole breadwinner of their family who was taking care of her together with her sick husband. He was also a bread winner for his children.
“My son had been threatened by illegal miners and had warned him that he would be killed in the tunnels,” Jane Sang said.
A.I.C priest Pastor Charles Kosgei, an uncle to the miner Julius Agui (deceased) who left behind a widow, Rose Agui and four children, said all the families want is for justice
“What we want from the government is to charge the suspects with murder if they want to dispense justice equal to all citizens without fear of favour,” Kosgei said
The third blast victim was Geoffrey Onyango,27, who hailed from Alego in Siaya county and had one child.
Six other miners were seriously injured as those who set off the blasts escaped immediately.
“Residents of Kibisem village voluntarily gave statements in detail to DCI officers because we want peace. We don’t want meddling lest the residents take the law into their own hands for revenge because they know those behind the murders,” Kosgei said.
Some of the suspects were arrested over an arson incident of June 17, 2021, when property of the mining company was raided by youths.
They were arrested and the matter is pending in an Eldoret court.
The suspects are being held at various police stations in Nandi county and are yet to be formally charged.
Police said they are waiting for a recommendation from the Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji before moving to the next level.
However, leaders from the area led by Chemelil/Chemase ward representative Douglas Martin, said there were-high profile personalities who wanted the matter referred for a public inquest.
“This is impunity meant to ensure the suspects are freed to continue engaging in illegal and criminal activities,” Martin said.
Dickens Keronei, the area Nyumba Kumi leader, said the objective of the mayhem against the residents was known, to expel Karebe mines out of the area, which they would they resist.
(Edited by V. Graham)
