The body of a police officer who was killed by a gang in Haiti arrived in Kenya after days of delays over logistical issues.
The Deputy Inspector General of the
Administration Police Service, Gilbert Masengeli, led other officers in the service
in receiving the body of Constable Samuel Tompoi Kaetuai on Monday, March 10, at
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
There was a somber mood as the team with the
family received the body.
It was later moved to the Chiromo Mortuary, pending burial.
Kaetuai was killed on February 23 in a clash
with a gang in Port-au-Prince.
He was among a team that was pursuing a gang
when he was shot in the head and died.
The Multinational Security Support Mission
said he succumbed to injuries sustained during an operation.
Since then, authorities have been making
efforts to transport the body through the Dominican Republic, USA, and then Kenya.
Last week, Inspector General of the National Police Service Douglas Kanja led senior officers in visiting and
condoling with the family and friends of Kaetuai.
The officers visited the family at Naserian Village, Kajiado East Sub-County, Kajiado County, as they mourned his demise.
Kanja eulogised Tompoi as a hero and ambassador who lost his life in the line of duty while defending global peace.
He acknowledged that the officer was well-trained for the mission and that his death was a great loss to the National Police Service.
He assured that the well-being of the officers deployed for the mission in Haiti remains a top priority of the Kenyan government, and there is constant communication with the team to ensure they receive the necessary support.
DIG-KPS Eliud Lagat, DIG-APS Gilbert Masengeli, and other senior officers accompanied the IG.
Also present were Senator Peris Tobiko, State House Controller Dr. Katoo Ole Metito, and NPSC Commissioner John Ole Moyaki, among other government officials.
He assured the family of the government’s and police department’s unwavering
support during this difficult period.
Kenya has deployed at least 800 police officers under the MSS mission to Haiti to help combat gangs.
Haiti has been grappling with escalating gang violence, with the United Nations reporting that at least 5,601 people were killed in gang-related incidents last year—1,000 more than in 2023.
The UN also documented 315 lynchings of alleged gang members and 281 suspected summary executions by police. This violence has displaced over a million Haitians, according to the UN’s migration agency.
Gang control in Port-au-Prince has led to an almost complete breakdown of law and order, the collapse of health services and the emergence of a food security crisis.
More than 5,500 people were killed in gang-related violence in the Caribbean nation in 2024, and more than a million people have fled their homes.
Haiti's transitional presidential council, the body created to re-establish democratic order, has made little progress towards organising long-delayed elections.
