Beastly gang ‘sodomise’ guards and steal coffee worth Sh7m
Fifty bags of coffee worth Sh7 million were stolen on Sunday when gun-wielding gangsters raided Getuya coffee factory in Kirinyaga County.
During the raid, four night guards were tortured and taken to Kerugoya Level Five Hospital where three were treated and discharged.
While some residents said the guards had been sodomised, police insisted it was assault.
One of the guards suffered serious injuries on his genitals and claims he was kicked several times on his genitals with boots and a gun butt.
CONDITION WORSENED
He was admitted at Kerugoya Level Five Hospital but later transferred to the nearby Mount Kenya Anglican Church hospital after his condition worsened.
The gangsters struck at around 1.30 am. They subdued the four guards and tied their hands and legs using a rope and warned them of dire consequences should they raise an alarm.
They then proceeded to torture the guards as they demanded for the keys to the stores where the coffee had been kept.
“At one point they kicked my private parts and inserted a pen into my anus when I told them that I did not have the keys,” said the guard.
‘BEASTS’
Speaking from his hospital bed, the guard – who can’t walk due to severe injuries inflicted on him – said the raiders behaved like beasts.
“They badly subjected me to all manners of torture thinking that I was lying to them that I did not have the keys,” he said.
When they were finally handed over the keys by one of the guards, they opened the stores and looted the bags of the commodity and loaded them into three pick ups and left.
After the gang had left, the guards screamed for help, attracting scores of residents who rescued and rushed them to the hospital.
Area head of police Mr Mohammed Huka said officers rushed to the factory immediately they were informed of the raid.
“We did not hesitate when we got information of what was happening,” said Mr Huka.
GUARD ARRESTED
The police boss said that officers swung into action soon after the raid and apprehended a fifth guard who was not on duty when the violent robbery took place.
“We are holding a guard in connection with the robbery. He is assisting us with investigations,” Mr Huka added.
The farmers said the incident had the fingerprints of an inside job and told the police to get to the bottom of the matter.
“Some workers may have colluded to steal our coffee and the police should leave no stone unturned,” said one of the farmers.
The farmers said they had incurred heavy losses as the coffee which was lying in stores awaiting to be sold had not been insured.
Getuya becomes the third factory to be raided by well organised coffee thieves in the past one month, triggering protest by farmers.
