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| Pineapples at delmonte farm |
At least three police officers and a security guard were injured by group of suspected pineapple thieves near the expansive Del Monte farm in Murang’a county.
The suspects stoned the security officers and damaged their vehicle in the Friday, July 5 incident.
The victims were headed to Thika from Kenol after a recruitment exercise.
When they reached a petrol station, the group of about 10 people attacked.
One of the officers suffered a nose injury while two others had bruises.
A G4S guard was also injured in the incident, police said.
The victims were rushed to a local hospital, before one of them was referred to Kenyatta University Referral Hospital.
There has been bad blood between security agents and people believed to be pineapple thieves.
Hundreds of stolen pineapples were recovered in the past months in the “Operation Linda Mananasi”. The suspects were fined Sh2.3 million in the same period.
Murang’a county police commander David Mathiu has been leading the operation that seeks to end theft of agricultural products in Ithanga/Kakuzi subcounty.
The operation that included officers drawn from other subcounties sealed the Del Monte farm and recovered 10 cars, dozens of motorcycles and tuktuk used in the theft.
Mathiu said said the operation will continue to prevent the farm making losses.
Del Monte farm covers at least 40 square kilometres.
The farm has public roads running through it and directly employs 237 security guards armed with rungus.
Young men, organised in groups often raid the farms to steal pineapples, forcing the security guards to use violence.
This has resulted in clashes that have seen guards injured.
One guard reportedly lost an eye after he was hit by a stone.
The claims of violence by Del Monte security guards has been of concern for several years. The farms’ processes and due diligence has also been put in question.
In 2019, five guards were charged with killing a man in one of the pineapple plantations.
The murder happened on April 21.
by CYRUS OMBATI
