Forest ranger hacked to death by logger he was chasing in Kakamega forest

A Kenya Forest Service ranger was allegedly brutally murdered on Sunday afternoon by a logger he was pursuing within Kakamega forest.

The deceased ranger Raymond Suter was with rangers Alexander Muyukumba and Japhet Mutai on patrol at the Mang’ang’a beat within IIoro area of the Kakamega forest when the incident occurred.

According to a police report by Shinyalu police station, the three rangers found two men cutting a tree near a herd of cattle that was grazing in the forest.

“On spotting them, the men started running in different directions. Suter ran after one of the men, Mutai also chased the other man while Muyukumba was left guarding the herd of cattle,” the report read in part.

Mutai gave up the chase as the suspect was too fast for him. He went back and joined Muyukumba where the cattle were grazing.

They waited for 30 minutes and Suter did not show up. They started looking for him along the route he had pursued the fleeing suspect.

The two officers found Suter lying on the ground and bleeding from a deep cut on the back of his head and another one above the right ear.

The police report further states that the deceased was still clutching onto his AK 47 rifle that had 29 rounds of ammunition.

Suter had been issued with the rifle for his patrol duties.

The body of the deceased was taken to Kakamega County Referral Hospital mortuary pending a post-mortem investigation.