Traders at Kikuyu Market in Kiambu lynched two individuals allegedly caught terrorizing women on Thursday morning.
The citizens descended upon the suspects, who were reportedly stealing phones from women.
Residents who crowded the area where the alleged thieves were lynched differed, with some condemning the act that shocked the market.
A section of the traders wanted the thieves interrogated first and handed over to the police, contrary to those who took matters into their own hands.
“We can say that we are happy because they did not consider important our safety,” one of the residents told the press.
“The victims of the robbery were enraged. We tried to urge the public to wait for the authorities, but some people refused, insisting that the robbers had terrorized us for long,” he explained further.
Apparently, the recent surge in violent robberies in the area has resulted in numerous injuries, leading victims to seek medical care in hospitals.
“Some of the robbers use a red motorbike to move around, and they even have guns. If you meet them, they order you to surrender your phone, or else they shoot you,” the resident narrated further.
“So as citizens, we have decided to act because our women can no longer go to work”.
Video footage circulated online revealed the aftermath of a motorcycle accident on the streets, depicting charred tires and several missing parts.
Police confirmed the incident, stating that they rushed to the scene after learning that the traders and residents had subjected the suspects to mob justice.
“Citizens caught the youngsters and subjected them to mob justice, leading to their death.”
Consequently, the authorities urged residents against using violence to solve crime cases but rather report such incidents to the nearest station.
“When such people are caught, alert us so that we arrest the culprits and arraign them in court according to the law,” the police further stated.
In addition, authorities affirmed that they were heightening security measures in the area and employing new tactics to apprehend criminals.
