Drama ensued on Saturday after students from Murang’a University of Technology forcefully ejected a suspect from a police truck.
The suspect had been arrested by the police over a phone snatching incident, close to the university’s school gate.
However, as events unfolded, the students approached the police officer and demanded that the suspect be handed over to them.
The students claimed that they had on numerous occasions reported theft cases happening near the institution but the police had not taken any action.
As the situation threatened to get out of hand, the officer reportedly finally gave in to the students’ demands, releasing the suspect before driving off.
The students, reportedly went ahead and stoned the suspect to death a few metres away from the school gate.
Residents living in the vicinity stated that they had to intervene to stop the students from burning the suspect's body after he had been stoned to death.
However, a section of the residents faulted the police officer for handing over the suspect observing that the latter might have been innocent.
The residents referred to the constitution which guarantees right to life and the presumption that suspects are innocent until they are proven guilty in a court of law.
In a twist of events, the killing has created an air of tension in the area between boda boda riders and students.
It was stated that the suspect was a boda boda rider who operated near the school.
His colleagues have termed the incident as unfortunate stating that he was a law-abiding citizen and have since called for justice to be served.
Meanwhile, security chiefs in the area have organised meetings with the student union and boda boda riders to deescalate tensions stemming from the incident.
