Calm has been restored in Tinderet, Nandi County, where Karebe Gold Mining Company operates after detectives arrested 24 suspects following the death of three workers in a tunnel three weeks ago, in a suspected attack.
Initially, tension was high as locals demanded an independent investigation of the incident, alleging complicity from the local security team.
Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives from Nairobi headquarters took over investigations from local authorities and cleared 14 of the suspects while 10 are still being questioned.
A rival gold mining company is suspected of having orchestrated the attack.
The DCI team from Nairobi is headed by Director Eliud Lagat, a bomb expert, who assured the locals that his team would unravel the case.
Cabinet Secretary for Mining Salim Mvurya suspended the mining of gold by Karebe Mining Company and the rival miners for 30 days, to allow the State to carry out investigations.
Explosion
At the burial of Geoffrey Rotich, one of the three Karebe workers who died in the explosion, political leaders and the local community demanded that the rival company suspected of being behind the explosion compensate the families.
Nandi Governor Stephen Sang who was in support of the demands issued a 24-hour notice to security officials to arrest all the suspects over the January 23, 2023, incident.
Local elders accused a senior government official of allegedly protecting the suspects implicated in the incident.
Governor Sang said the killers were known and he too claimed key suspects enjoyed the protection of senior officials who have an interest in Karebe’s mining territory.
“The DCI team from Nairobi must arrest the suspects and ensure justice is served to the bereaved families,” the Governor stated.
He denied claims that the county government was frustrating Karebe mining company to favour rival miners.
He said Nandi county had the highest gold deposits in Kenya and the county government is seeking more investors to come in and create employment and boost local revenue.
Avert chaos
Community elders led by Henry Muge and Jackton Choge took issue with security officers in Tinderet sub-county for not acting quickly to avert chaos at the Karebe mining area.
Karebe Mining company chairman Mr Joshua Choge assured workers and locals that the company would seek justice, but warned that acts of lawlessness and intimidation would scare investors who had done a lot for the community.
Albert Kiplimo, the company manager said Karebe miners were working in fear since the underground attack last month. BY DAILY NATION