On Wednesday evening, a mob killed and burned a middle-aged man suspected of being a thug in Makutano Township, Kapenguria.
The man was being transferred from Makutano police station to Kapenguria police station when angry residents stormed the station, pulled the suspect from the police, and killed him.
After that, youth and women are said to have burned the body with polythene papers, rugs, and sacks.
“An irate mob numbering about 700 which had regrouped around the post forcefully pulled the suspect as he was boarding the station motor vehicle registration number GK B 219 T Toyota Land cruiser. They immediately started beating him up using stones and pieces of wood until he died about 100 metres away from the post,” Kapenguria Officer Commanding Police Station [OCPD] Kipkoech Kirui said.
Attempts by police officers on the scene to control the mob were futile.
“The police tried to restrain but the public overpowered the police. In the process, officers sustained injuries as follows: (1) No.81463 Cpl Ali Mohammed suffered a brushed left wrist and also his mobile phone made Techno 19 valued at Kshs. 24,000/- was snatched,(2) No. 259296 Pc Bare Aden lost one tooth, (3) No. 118674 Pc Juma Dalo was injured on the right rib area and both knees,” he added.
Kirui urged residents not to take matters into their own hands and instead to leave such matters to relevant authorities.
“In case of any suspect just report to the police. Let’s cooperate because we are trying to end theft,” he said.
Hundreds of residents who came to witness the incident claimed that the man was a notorious criminal who had killed a Pser secondary school student who had been dumped in Cherangany a few days before.
The deceased is also suspected of being a member of a gang that is suspected of stealing motorbikes and killing people in the town.
The body has been moved to Kapenguria County Referral Hospital mortuary pending a postmortem.
