Two bodies found dumped in Menengai, Nakuru, identified at mortuary

Emotions ran high when relatives of two men whose bodies were found dumped on the roadside in Menengai, Nakuru County, identified them at a mortuary.

Grief-stricken family members and friends were overwhelmed with emotion after viewing and identifying the bodies of their relatives at the Nakuru County Mortuary on Tuesday, June 3.

The bodies of Simon Yego, 45, and Collins Kipyatich, 22, were found with their arms severed.

Their families allege that the two were abducted by suspected security officers in Tot, Elgeyo Marakwet, on Friday, May 30.

The two badly mutilated male bodies were found dumped along the Mogotio-Kipkitur road at Kinoyo village on May 31.

Police said both bodies were naked, their hands chopped off, with multiple other physical injuries.

The two are believed to have been tortured, killed elsewhere and dumped at the scene.

The motive of the murder and those behind the same are yet to be established.

Police took the bodies to the mortuary in Nakuru pending identification, autopsy and other investigations.

Relatives believe the two were abducted by security agencies in the ongoing operation in the area targeting armed gangs in the larger Elgeyo Marakwet.

Some of the gangs have been linked to the murder of a catholic priest, Allois Bett, in Tot town.

Police are holding at least six suspects in connection with the murder.

Elgeyo Marakwet is among the counties under Operation Maliza Uhalifu aimed at addressing insecurity at large.

More security teams were sent to the area last week following the killing of the priest amid claims he was targeted by gangs because of among others, he is not a local.

But police said the attackers were criminals and they are being handled professionally in ongoing investigations.

Locals said there were major operations in the area and fear more suspects will be targeted in the coming days.

The priest was buried in his Nandi rural home amid calls for action to tame the attacks in the area.