Saturday, 24th of November 2012 - The family of a police reservist killed in the Baragoi massacre some three weeks ago has lost out on getting compensation for the death of their bread winner because his body was eaten by hyenas and thus cannot be presented as evidence of his passing.
The deceased Thomas Lengeriai was among sixty police reservist called up on that day to assist the police in repossessing stolen cattle from the neighboring Turkana community. Like so many officers who went on that mission, he was to meet his end in the Suguta Valley.
The sad thing though is that his family had actually come across his body after the massacre but had decided not to collect it because local custom dictates that a warrior killed during a raid must be left to decompose on the battlefield.
“We came across the body on November 16 but unfortunately it had decomposed and part of it had been eaten by hyenas,” said wife Maiwan Lengeriai recounts.
The custom is confirmed by area chief John Lesoroiya;
“This has been the tradition among the Samburu where such a body is left to decompose in the bush,” he said.
“They told me that we cannot collect it since it had decomposed and I had to comply with the rules,” added Maiwan.
Adhering to that custom means that the family has lost on getting the Ksh 50,000 that has been given to the families of the other fallen officers.
This cold reality has left Maiwan with the burden of taking care of herself and their three young children.
A stoic Maiwan however says that she will not let these unfortunate events break her will to live.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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