Gang kills police officer who rescued 6 girls from FGM

Gang kills police officer who rescued 6 girls from FGM

More police officers were sent to villages in parts of Elgeyo Marakwet for a major operation to address rising cases of female genital mutilation.

The squad is also supposed to track and arrest a gang that Monday attacked and killed a police officer who was part of a team that had busted an FGM rite in Elgeyo Marawet County in an operation in Embobut forest.

Officials said the team is under instructions to get the killers and address the practice that is now rampant in the area despite it being banned.

Corporal Mushote Boma of Chesoi police station was killed and partially burnt in the attack.

His G3 rifle with 40 bullets is missing after being stolen by the attackers, police said.

His body was later picked up at a local mortuary pending autopsy.

The gang was protecting the circumcisers attending the banned rite in Embobut forest, police said.

Six girls who had already been circumcised were rescued and are recuperating at Iten County Referral Hospital.

County Police Commander Peter Mulinge said they are investigating the attack and an operation is ongoing in the area to get those behind the same and practice.

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He said police were on an FGM eradication within Embolot Location where they raided and rescued six girls who had been genitally mutilated and escorted them to Embobut Police Post.

An angry mob believed to be from Maron VTC Centre Marakwet East who were armed with stones and sticks stormed the police post where Boma was manning and stoned him on the head killing him.

According to police, they then partly burned his body using his mattress and escaped with a G3 Riffle with 40 rounds of ammunition.

The incident happened just a day after a Catholic priest was Saturday attacked after attempting to intervene and stop an FGM rite that was going on in Kamoi village where 15 girls are said to have been cut.