Two suspected livestock thieves were lynched by enraged residents in Kanjinji, Mwea East sub-county, and Kiranja, Kangaita village, Kirinyaga County.
In Kanjinji village, locals killed a suspect accused of stealing a goat and set his body on fire. According to residents, led by John Waweru, the suspect, who owned a butchery in the area, stole a goat belonging to Stanley Magu and slaughtered it in front of his children.
Magu’s children, aged 5 and 4, raised an alarm when they realized the meat they were supposed to eat was being taken away on a motorcycle, prompting them to cry out. At this point, angry residents cornered the suspect, who fled into a local police post for safety, but the residents ignored the police officer’s attempts to calm the situation.
Mwea East sub-county police boss Patrick Nyaanga confirmed the incident, stating that the livestock had been stolen in Kimuri village. “We have taken his remains to Kerugoya hospital mortuary, and I urge residents to stop taking the law into their own hands,” he said.
In Kirinyaga Central’s Kiranja, Kangaita village, residents also set a vehicle on fire along with a suspect accused of stealing a cow. Godfrey Muchiri reported that his cow was stolen from his shed, prompting residents to raise an alarm.
