Three men were found dead with gunshot wounds in Kibosit forest, Chepchoina, Trans Nzoia County sparking a protest in the area.
Mystery surrounds the shooting of the three on June 21 amid tension between locals and security agencies.
Police and officials from Kenya Forest Service in Suam station were attacked by villagers as they picked up the bodies to the mortuary in a drama that broke out.
Police said they were called and informed there were bodies lying in the forest.
The victims were later identified as Emmanuel Wanyonyi Wafula, 73 who had gun shot wounds on his head and chest, Samuel Barasa Wanyonyi, 22 who had gun shot wounds on his head, shoulder, waist, thigh and left leg and Nabende Mukulo a Ugandan citizen who had gun shot wounds on his back, left leg and stomach.
They were all shot at close range.
According to a survivor of the ordeal, they were attacked by eight armed men who cornered them while preparing charcoal in the said forest but fortunately for him he managed to escape and gave the information to the villagers.
The team while on their way back from the scene with the three bodies was attacked by unknown attackers.
The officers shot to the air to scare the mob.
They managed to take the bodies to the mortuary pending autopsy and investigations.
Tension remained high in the area amid fears of protests from locals. Four police officers in the operation were briefly separated from the main team in the chaos before they were found later.
Authorities have been fighting deforestation being perpetuated by locals who cut trees for charcoal.
There is a campaign to address the menace in most forests.
Officials say local communities are linked to the trend of deforestation through such incidents of charcoal burning and other practices.
Police said they are investigating the incident.
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