Police in Muhoroni subcounty in Kisumu are pursuing suspects who broke into former Governor Jack Ranguma's rural home and escaped with 30 sheep.
The incident occurred Tuesday night, while Ranguma and his family were away.
The authorities claim that criminals broke into the farm and stole all the prized Dorper sheep breed.
Muhoroni Subcounty Police Commander Fredrick Ombaka confirmed an incident, saying one sheep had been recovered in a nearby sugarcane plantation.
“We received a report from Ranguma that a group of unknown people broke into his rural home and stole 30 sheep. Our teams managed to recover one animal abandoned in a sugarcane field,” Ombaka said.
Speaking to the Kenya News Agency, Ranguma revealed that the recovered sheep, presumably due to its leg deformity, was most likely abandoned in the Poto Poto area of Tinderet Subcounty, Nandi county.
He said his farm workers attempted to locate the stolen flock, but they were advised against further investigation for their safety.
The former governor added that he has requested police to deploy the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) from Songhor/Kopere to conduct a sting operation aimed at recovering the livestock.
He expressed concern over rising insecurity in the area, revealing this as the second major attack on his farm.
“About two years ago, thieves tried to break into my farm. They threw a petrol bomb into the goat pen, burning down the structure. Several of my goats were killed, while others were stolen after being scattered,” he recounted.
Moreover, the police commander assured that the RDU has been tasked to pursue the criminals and bring them to justice.
“We are issuing a stern warning to criminals and their collaborators. They will be arrested and prosecuted in court,” Ombaka stated, urging locals to cooperate with police by reporting such incidents promptly to speed up investigations and recovery efforts.
