Police in Kirinyaga arrests a suspected cattle thief: A man who is suspected to be a well-known cattle rustler has been detained by police in Kirinyaga.
At the Kianyaga Police Station, the suspect, who was on a police list of the “most” sought suspected criminals, was being questioned.
The suspect was detained at Kithimu market in neighboring Embu County as he was selling a “stolen” cow and was taken to the station under tight security, according to Anthony Wanjuu, the chief commander of Kirinyaga East police.
The cow belongs to 78-year-old dairy farmer Jenifer Wagatu of Rukenya, Gichugu constituency.
When Ms. Wagatu went to milk her cow at 4 a.m., she discovered it missing from its shed, according to Mr. Wanjuu.
She sounded the alarm, bringing neighbors to the scene who assisted in the search, located the animal at the market, and called the police.
According to Mr. Wanjuu, “the officers, acting on a tip-off, found the suspect with the animal in the market and seized him.”
He claimed that the suspect is a member of a well-organized gang that has been robbing Kirinyaga homesteads at ungodly hours and taking livestock.
Mr. Wanjuu declared, “The man is a notorious rustler, and he must face the law.”
When rustlers broke into dairy farmer Joseph Gatimu’s farmhouse in Mutithi village last week, he lost two bulls.
Nevertheless, authorities found the animals and detained two individuals.
Mr. Wanjuu swore that the police would not stop working until all of the rustlers who were free were captured and brought to justice.
Residents have been outraged after a string of cattle robberies, and he said that the rustlers must be subdued.
He noted that thieves may occasionally kill their animals when their owners are sound asleep and carry the meat away.