FRESH PROBE BY POLICE INTO CASES OF TORTURE AND OTHER INJUSTICES IN UASIN GISHU
Police have launched a fresh probe into all cases involving mistreating of widows and other vulnerable members of the society in Uasin Gishu, following a proliferation of related cases that go unresolved at the expense of victims.
According to Uasin Gishu County Commander Ayub Ali, the security apparatus is alarmed by increasing cases and the time has come to arrest the trend before it gets out of hand.
Among cases to be probed afresh include mistreatment and attack of widows whose properties were destroyed at Kapsirwo village and Seiyo village in separate incidents in Uasin Gishu.
“I will deploy a security team following a complaint from the widows to stop any further evictions and torture of vulnerable people and ensure that justice is served. I will ensure that thye get justice,” he said,
Agnes Maiyo, a widow at Kapsirwo village life has never been the same since the death of her husband in March 2020.
The mother of three claims she has had sleepless nights being tortured, oppressed, and threatened by her in-laws who want to inherit the piece of land left behind by her late husband.
“I lost my husband in 2020 March since we buried him my father inlaw plus the entire family started disturbing us they oppressed us and denied us justice.
“My Children did not get justice and we were chased from the home that belonged to my husband, which forced me to transfer them from academy to public School so that I can pay for them at Naiberi Primary school, they are still harassing us attempting to kill us frustrating us at all means because many of the cases are at the court,” she said.
She said they reported the matter to court but up to now justice has not been served and thye are still being harassed right, left, and center.
“As I am talking we are having over five cases in court for us to get justice and get a share of my husband’s property and be considered in succession but the cases are still pending in court,’ she said.
Agnes has been forced to seek refuge at a nearby school where she lives with her children. She blames the area chief for failing to protect her and alleged he is working in cohort with her tormentors.
“My father-in-law John Kipkemboi has used all means to frustrate me they took properties and farm that I was tilling in the name that the cases are still in court and at the moment they are interfering with the court proceedings,” she added.
She now wants the Chief Kaptagat Location removed from office for other people to get justice.
Another victim Leah Kering,a single mother from Seiyo Village in Kesses Sub County 2018 claims her house was demolished by Uasin Gishu county askaris under the pretext of fighting illegal brewers in their area.
The house cost Sh 300,000.
The County askaris took 85,000
from her bedroom.
She says she reported the matter at Cheptiret police station but no action was taken.
“ My house was demolished by county askaris at a time when I had stopped brewing illicit alcohol and they have continued to come to my home causing mayhem and demanding bribes yet I don’t brew or sell alcohol anymore,” she said.
Human Rights activists in Uasin Gishu have appealed to the police officers and chiefs to avoid exercising impartiality when enforcing laws.
Many of the vulnerable people who have launched complaints most police stations in Uasin Gishu say their oppressors collude with some government officials to deny them justice.
“I haven’t been helped since I reported the matter to Cheptiret police station, The askaris have been mishandling me even after I stopped making illicit alcohol, I am a single lady doing business and a farmer I am wondering what I did to them,” she said.
She now says she wants the County government to compensate her with immediate effect.
Human Rights Activist from Human Against Torture Kimutai Kirui said widows are suffering because chiefs, and county enforcement officers are looked at as sexual advances, and that they are not supposed to have property.
The house that she has built is approx 385-4000 shillings.
“Widows need to have a law to govern their property especially when their husband died, chiefs are most oppressing and most of them doesn’t have and should be given probonal lawyers by the government because in-laws have interests with the deceased property the ag should come in and see what should be done,” he said.
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