Policemen in Meru County were forced to flee after a group of 300 boda boda riders from Murang'a overpowered them before lynching a suspected motorcycle thief on Monday.
The boda boda riders rode from Murang'a to Meru where the alleged thief was hiding, declaring that they had decided to take matters into their own hands as police had failed them.
Police officers who heard the loud hooting approached the scene and were initially pelted with stones from the irate riders.
The officers then tried to use tear gas and fire in the air, but this did not deter the riders who made their way to the police van nearby.
They smashed the van's windows and seriously injured two policemen, forcing the remaining officers to flee.
[caption caption="Anti-riot police running during a past operation in Nairobi"]
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Journalists who attempted to cover the dramatic scenes were also chased away by the riders.
Once the officers were gone, the riders proceeded to stone the suspected thief to death and burnt him.
The riders explained that they had previously sought the intervention of the police, but the officers did not seem interested in helping them recover the stolen motorcycle.
"Following the police's refusal to bring the culprits to book, we decided to trace those who stole the motorcycle without their (police) knowledge," one of the riders, who sought anonymity, explained.
He further disclosed that on Saturday, the suspects had allegedly attacked one of the riders with a kitchen knife, but the victim survived albeit with serious injuries.
The rider who was attacked, had, however, managed to identify one of the suspects and they stormed a rental house he was living in, giving the riders clues as to where two stolen motorcycles were hidden.
[caption caption="File image of boda boda riders in Nairobi"]
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