According to residents, led by John Njuki, the man was accused of attempting to steal geese from a homestead belonging to a farmer identified as Maina.
Residents alleged that the suspect was part of a gang that had broken into Maina’s homestead at night. Maina reportedly raised the alarm, attracting villagers who apprehended the man, assaulted him, and later set him on fire along the Kerugoya–Kutus road.
Other suspected members of the gang are said to have escaped, with one narrowly avoiding capture. “You can see police searching for his remains. He died over geese. They wanted to steal geese from Maina, who is a geese farmer,” said a resident, Gachau.
Locals expressed concern over rising cases of livestock theft in the area. “They have been stealing livestock, chickens, geese, and other animals at night, especially when it is raining,” said Peter Kinyua.
Detectives from Kirinyaga Central Sub-County visited the scene and moved the body to Kerugoya Hospital mortuary, where it awaits identification.
Police urged residents not to take the law into their own hands, noting that suspects can provide crucial information to aid investigations into criminal activities.
