An angry mob stormed a police station in Makutano Township, Kapenguria, on the evening of Wednesday, April 12, forcefully took a suspect who was under police detention, and pummelled him to death.
Confirming the incident, Kapenguria Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Kipkoech Kirui stated that the officers were transporting the man to a different station when the residents pulled the suspect out of the police Land Cruiser and started beating him.
According to the OCPD, the mob claimed that the deceased had been a member of a gang believed to steal from the residents as well as brutally kill innocent young men.
“They immediately started beating him up using stones and pieces of wood until he died about 100 metres away from the post,” added the police commander.
In addition, he noted that the angry youth lynched his body using polythene papers, rugs and sacks.
One of the residents claimed that the man was part of a gang that had earlier murdered a high school student and their actions were a warning to all the other gang members.
“We want these thieves out of West Pokot. This is a lesson to all thieves because we have been troubled in this area for a long time. They have been terrorising our families for a long time,” the resident stated.
The OCPD added that attempts by the police to stop the crowd and rescue the man were futile because the police were outnumbered.
Further, Kirui stated that police officers, who were forced to stand by as the crowd beat the man, were hurt while trying to control the youth adding that their property was also stolen.
“An irate mob numbering about 700, which had regrouped around the police post, forcefully pulled the suspect as he was boarding the station motor vehicle (Toyota Land Cruiser).
“The police tried to restrain but the public overpowered the police. In the process, officers sustained injuries,” Kirui stated.
The OCPD detailed that one officer sustained injuries on his left wrist and his mobile phone valued at Ksh24,000 was snatched. Another lost a tooth while a third officer was injured on his ribs and knees.
Kirui, as a result, urged residents not to take matters into their own hands and instead forward the errant community members to the authorities.
"My plea to the residents of Makutano township is to let the authorities handle such cases instead of taking matters into their own hands,” Kirui added.
The body has since been moved to Kapenguria County referral hospital mortuary pending a postmortem.
