Police seize four grenades, arrest two KDF soldiers

Two Kenya Defence Forces soldiers were arrested following an explosion at a bar in Chebole trading centre in Sotik, Bomet County.

As per a police report filed at Matarakwa Police Post via Occurrence Book no. 8/10/11/2023 around 8:50 pm on Saturday, the soldiers, identified as Private Alphonse Rotich and Peter Kibet, were arrested at Daima Bar and Restaurant after the explosion.

The arrest followed a report by village elder Noah Kimutai, who reported the incident at the trading centre. No injuries were reported.

Upon arrival at the scene, the police recovered two grenade pins suspected to be from the grenades that had exploded earlier, along with a black bag containing four grenades, NF24 48mm sound grenades, and personal effects belonging to Rotich.

The police said Rotich, stationed at the 21KA in Nyanyuki, was off duty, while Kibet of 17KA in Modika Garissa was on leave.

Although the motive behind the incident is unclear, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Anti-Terror Police Unit have been summoned to interrogate those involved.

The soldiers are being held at Mutarakwa Police Post.