16 people are in police custody for suspicion of having a hand in the murder of a senior police officer in Ndori, during crackdown on suspected illicit brew in Siaya County.

The 16 people were arrested on Thursday after police in the area launched an operation to unearth the suspects who were responsible for stoning their colleague to death.

During the operation police were able to recover handcuffs and a Ceska pistol that the suspects had robbed from inspector Simon Mwangi Kariuki, the slain officer.

According to police, the weapon had an empty magazine when it was recovered about six Kilometers away from the scene of the murder.

Nyanza regional police commander Patrick Tito said they rounded up the suspects in a night operation as they continue hunting for more suspects in the incident.

In the incident that happened on the evening of March 13, Kariuki and his colleague arrested a suspect with 21 sachets of the said brew and four packets of cigarettes that they said were for export.

The suspect raised an alarm alerting the residents who raced to the suspect’s rescue by stoning the two officers to death.

The villagers who came to the suspect’s rescue also used crude weapons on the two officers before taking Kariuki’s life while his colleague escaped with injuries.

The suspect who alerted villagers is however assisting the police in the process of unearthing the rest who are responsible  for the murder.

Kariuki’s body was moved to Lwak Mission Hospital mortuary pending autopsy and other procedures.

The government has announced several measures to address the menace of alcoholism and abuse of drugs.

The Cabinet on Wednesday announced measures government has taken in the fight against illegal brews and narcotic drugs.

The measures include a 21-day suspension of all 52 licenses and permits issued to manufacturers and distillers of second-generation alcohol, revocation of all bar licenses issued by counties against the law.