The abduction and murder of a taxi driver in Eldoret has triggered angry protests from his colleagues amid complaints over rising insecurity in the area.
The taxi operators said they have become a target of car theft gangs, even as they blamed courts for being lenient to suspects arrested by the police.
Ainabkoi subcounty police chief Alloys Mathoka said the body of Patrick Muiruri was found dumped in a tea plantation at Chepsonoi in Kericho.
"We are investigating the matter to establish how the deceased met his death," he said.
The taxi drivers and the family of the deceased protested outside the law courts in Eldoret after two suspects who had been arrested were released on bond.
Langas MCA Peter Muya who was with the taxi operators said it was shocking that the suspects were released before the whereabouts of the taxi driver were known.
Those arrested were two people among them the owner of a house, where the taxi car belonging to Muiruri was found within Kapsoya estate.
Last week police also arrested six other suspects in the same estate, where they were found dismantled cars that had been stolen. The suspects were also freed on bond.
Wife of the murdered taxi driver, Grace Muiruri, said her husband had gone missing and efforts to trace her were futile because his phone went unanswered.
She said he had not expressed any fears for his life. When police raided the house where his car was parked, they found it had been tampered with extensively, including change of its number plate.
His colleagues said Muiruri had been called by some people who wanted taxi services.
He drove off from his parking area at Trakadero on Friday but never returned.
Police and the taxi operators started a search for his vehicle using a car tracking system, which revealed that the car was driven to Kapsabet and then back to Eldoret.
It was later traced to the house in Kapsoya estate where the suspects were arrested.
Mathoka said the two suspects who had been released by the court will he re-arrested to face murder charges.
They wife said they have four children and they had hoped that their breadwinner would be found alive.
"He was a loving husband father dedicated to his work and he never offended anyone," Grace said after the suspects were released by the courts.
Muya urged President William Ruto to help act on what he termed as "entrenched corruption" at courts in Eldoret.
“Our security officers are making all efforts possible to deal with crime but they are being undermined by courts which free suspects on very lenient terms raising suspicion among members of the public," he said.
