Author: Web Desk

Nakuru County Commissioner Loyford Kibaara has assured the residents of Nakuru of their security following a spate of stabbings and armed robberies in the Rhonda and Kaptembwa areas.

Kibaara, who regretted that three people had been killed as a result of the resurgent criminal gangs, said that major reshuffles had been done among the security agents in the area to contain the situation.

Already, 302 young men had been arrested and arraigned before the Nakuru Magistrate Court, with the county commissioner decrying lenient fines and sentences that continued to water down their efforts.

‘Despite the lenient fines, we will not condone regrouping and harassment of the residents. It is not going to be business as usual, and the gangs should either change their ways or leave the area.

‘A new OCS has been posted to Rhonda police station, and we are pursuing to have a change of police officers who have overstayed in the area and are abating crimes,’ he noted, adding that the Nyumba Kumi Clusters will be revitalized to enhance security.

He regretted that the infamous Confirmed, TZ, Mungiki, and Mauki groups had surged with a mop-up in Nakuru North and Nakuru East Sub-Counties, driving them to Nakuru West.

‘Young men between 18 and 25 years old are joining these groups, and most of them are engaged in gambling, boda boda, touting, and taxi businesses. They have been extorting money for the residents, with those resisting being stabbed,’ noted the county commissioner, putting on notice politicians said to be having a hand in the crimes.

County Police Commander Zachary Kimani, while drawing attention to Ponda Mali, Nakuru West, and the Free Area, noted that more arrests had been made last night, with the gang members being found armed with kitchen knives and Somali swords.

‘Our officers know the criminals, and the more they have stayed in the area, the more likely they are to abate these crimes,’ said Kimani.

He accused the media of exaggerating crime reports and causing unnecessary tension, urging the residents to use anonymous means to tip the police as part of concerted efforts against the crimes.

Cases of stabbings and killings have in the recent past been reported, with members of the Mauki gang group said to be in revenge mode following the killing of their leader last week.

Source: Kenya News Agency

plastic materials poses health risk to consumers as plastics produce toxic chemicals when exposed to high temperatures.

The Kericho law courts chief magistrate Mr. Charles Obulutsa said that plastic materials when exposed to food under high temperatures produces toxic substances which are harmful to human beings.

He was speaking during the World Environment Day held at Litein high school in Kericho County whose theme was based on the ‘Solutions to plastic pollution.’

Mr. Obulutsa who represented Kericho High Court Judge-Justice Sergon at the function noted that since being posted to Kericho as the chief magistrate, not a single case of plastic has been brought before the court.

He urged the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and security agencies to decisively act on illegal suppliers of single use plastics which were rampant in Litein town, Kericho and other urban centres in Kericho.

Mr. Obolutsa suspected that the single use plastics which was popular among grocery and other small business traders in packaging food products for their customers were emanating from a neighbouring country.

He maintained that it was the responsibility of all Kenyans to follow the law in regard to environmental protection which involves among others avoiding the use of plastic materials in packaging their food.

He said that according to the law, it is an offense to use plastics in packaging food and those found guilty in using or supplying the banned plastics risked being fined Sh4 million or 2 years imprisonment.

Speaking at the same function, Kericho NEMA officer Mr. Moses Morindat issued a stern warning against the illegal suppliers and users of single use plastic materials in Kericho that their days were numbered and those who will be found will be arrested and prosecuted.

Other speakers at the function who included the Director of Litein Mission Hospital, Dr. Elijah Terer appealed to Kenyans to develop a positive attitude towards plastic waste management by collecting all plastics within their compounds.

Dr. Terer said in a move to conserving and protecting the environment, Litein hospital had acquired a modern exhauster to aid in emptying of full septic tanks and latrines in the community to avoid contamination of water sources especially during rainy seasons

Source: Kenya News Agency

A Kangema court sentenced a 20-year-old young man to life imprisonment Monday after he was found guilty of defiling an 11-year-old girl.

Dancan Thiongo Kariuki was slapped with the sentence by Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Kiama after the court proved he defiled the grade 6 pupil several times on diverse dates between January and June 13, 2022, at Nyakahura Sub location in Kangema Sub County.

In her testimony, the girl testified that the accused used to visit their home, where she stayed with her grandmother and uncle.

She noted Kariuki was a friend to her uncle whom they schooled together in a local secondary school.

The court heard that during the period of committing the offense, the accused was a form four student.

The pupil informed the court that the accused started to seduce her in January 2022 and forced her to watch pornographic videos once he visited their home.

‘In June 13, 2022, I was with my aunt, who had visited us. We went to give our goats water, when my aunt left me behind and went back in the house, the accused came and found me, forced me to lie down, and then defiled me near the goats’ den,’ the girl narrated before the court.

The pupil added that it did not stop there, as Kariuki defiled her several times on different dates. ‘The other times he used the house of my uncle to defile me,’ she claimed.

The girl said she was forced to inform her school friend who advised her to tell their class teacher.

The court heard, the teacher called and informed their grandmother and the girl’s mother who works in Nairobi.

The girl was taken for medical examination at Kangema hospital and was given some medications to prevent her from contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

The medical report tabled before the court revealed the girl was defiled, but tests for venereal diseases and pregnancy were negative.

In his defense, Kariuki said on the mentioned dates he was in school, thus the family of the girl was lying about the defilement incidents.

He claimed the girl mistook him with another person, claims which were dismissed by the court saying he was positively identified and he was a neighbour to the girl’s home.

He told the court that after clearing secondary education, he was preparing to join college by mid this year.

Delivering the judgement, the magistrate rejected the accused’s defense in totality saying it does not tilt the prosecution’s facts.

Kariuki was given 14 days to appeal if not satisfied with the judgment.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Bomet Governor Prof Hillary Barchok has raised concern over the resurgence of banned plastic bags in counties near the Lake Victoria region.

Barchok, who is the Chairman for Environment Committee in the Lake Region Economic Block (LREB), said there was rampant use of clear plastics for packaging meat and groceries in the region prompting environmental concern.

The Governor was speaking at Silibwet grounds during the marking of World Environmental Day which was attended by the 14 LREB counties.

‘We have to put good use of plastics so as to curb environmental degradation. Plastics can also be used in an environmentally friendly way,’ said Barchok.

‘By planting trees as we have done, we are putting in place one of the interventions to address the negative effects of climate change,’ he said.

Citing the recent drought that he termed as the worst in recent years, Barchok said if no stringent interventions were put in place, the situation may further escalate.

He said climate change, which resulted from human activities, has not only meted adverse effects on humans only but also wildlife.

He cited the recent spate of wildlife, getting out of their natural habitat such as Maasai Mara game reserve, in search of water and food.

‘Mother nature can be unforgiving, that is why we take care of our ecosystem within our localities,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency