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<\/div>A distraught Stella Chirchir, an aunt of 27-year-old Leonard Kipyegon who was allegedly killed over beehive theft. <\/strong>[Courtesy]\n<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The family of a man allegedly killed by bodyguards of a senior politician from Rift Valley is demanding justice.\n<\/p>\n Leonard Kipyego, 27, from Mangwen in Ainamoi Constituency, is said to have been beaten to death by the bodyguards who accused him of stealing beehives belonging to one of them. <\/p>\n His family told The Standard on Wednesday his killers should have handed him over to the police if he had indeed stolen the two beehives as claimed.\n<\/p>\n His aunt, Stella Chirchir was inconsolable, as she mourned Kipyego who was an orphan.<\/p>\n Kipyego was attacked alongside another man who is admitted to Kericho County Hospital with serious injuries.\n<\/p>\n Ms\u00a0Chirchir said the claim that beehives had been stolen was first made over a year ago.\n<\/p>\n “One of the bodyguards is our neighbour. His two beehives were reportedly stolen over a year ago, but Monday, they pounced on Kipyegon and his friend at Brooke trading centre and beat them senselessly,” she said. <\/p>\n She added: “With the help of his colleague, the bodyguard bound their hands with rope and forced them into a car and drove them to his farm where they began beating the young men.”\n<\/p>\n The late Kipyegon was in the company of one Immanuel Kiprotich, 23, when they were allegedly tortured and later dumped along a road near Brooke Estate on the outskirts of Kericho town.\n<\/p>\n A member of Kiprotich’s family said he sustained multiple fractures.\n<\/p>\n Kipyegon’s grandmother, Hellen Laboso, described her grandson as a dependable man she relied on.\n<\/p>\n “I am the one who brought him up after the death of his mother. He wasn’t a thief,” said the 73-year-old woman. <\/p>\n Kericho County Criminal Investigations Officer John Onyango said they were pursuing the bodyguards who have since gone into hiding.\n<\/p>\n “Though they are on the run, it won’t be long before we catch up with them. We have recorded a statement from the survivor and have gathered crucial information concerning the incident,” he said.\n<\/p>\n Onyango said the suspect and an accomplice failed to surrender on Wednesday to the police after pledging to do so through an intermediary.\n<\/p>\n He also said the preliminary investigation indicates that the suspects fled and is hiding in a neighbouring county.\n<\/p>\n Onyango said he had ordered his police officers to launch a manhunt for the suspect who is considered armed and dangerous.\n<\/p>\n \u201cSince the bodyguard is a police officer and has gun issued to him, we consider him armed and dangerous. We are still going to take him down,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n