Samburu chief, deputy headteacher charged over labourer’s murder
Lonjoorin Chief Francis Lenasalon (right) and deputy head teacher Loitany Lengaur in a Samburu court.
A chief and a deputy headteacher have been arrested and charged with the murder of a casual labourer in a Samburu court.
Francis Lenasalon, the Lonjoorin Location Chief, and Loitany Lengaur, the deputy head teacher at Loruko Primary School, appeared in the High Court in Maralal on Wednesday.
They pleaded not guilty to the murder of 34-year-old Benedict Paringiro on 28 August in the Ngorishe area of Baragoi sub-County in Samburu County.
The court directed that the two be remanded until September 28, when a decision will be made on whether to release them on bond pending the hearing and determination of the case, following an application by the accused.
It is alleged that the two government officers gave the casual labourer a lift in a Toyota Probox at Baragoi market on the night of the incident, only for him to be found dead a few hours later.
A police report seen by the Nation indicates that members of the public stumbled upon a body at Ngorishe area along the South Horr Road, prompting security officers from Baragoi Police Station to rush to the scene.
The victim had earlier planned to travel to his home in Parkati and was last seen boarding the vehicle driven by the chief, with the deputy headteacher as a passenger, as they headed towards Tum at around 7am on August 28.
“Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) visited the scene where the body of a male adult was found lying beside the road with the head facing up. The body had visible head injuries with blood visible at the scene,” the police report stated.
It further stated: “There was no sign of a struggle at the scene. The body was taken to Baragoi sub-County Hospital mortuary, where it was positively identified as that of Benedict Paringiro.”
A postmortem conducted at the hospital in the presence of police officers and the deceased’s immediate family established that he died after being struck with a blunt object by his assailants.
The body was subsequently released to the family for burial.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.
