Two suspected thieves were on Wednesday evening lynched in Kajulu sub-location of Rangwe, Homa Bay County, and six houses torched by an irate mob following increased cases of shop breaking and burglaries for the last five days in the area.
The suspects identified as Victor Odhiambo Ongoro alias Raila and Peter Ooko Aila alias Puth were traced and lynched by the mob which accused them of perpetrating theft in the area.
Burglary cases have been on the rise at Sinema trading center and other villages within the sub-location since Sunday, which prompted the community – including boda boda riders – to take matters into their own hands.
Senior Assistant Chief Alloys Nyariang’ said several houses have been broken into and property worth thousands of shillings stolen in the area for the last five days.
The administrator added that the suspects also defiled two girls after robbing their parents at night.
He said the locals regrouped and started tracing the suspects, cornering Victor Odhiambo at his home in Nyawawa village and killing him using crude weapons.
They then moved on to Wiikoteng area and burnt to death Peter Ooko, whom they accused of colluding with the gangsters that have been terrorizing them.
The angry mob went further and torched six houses belonging to the suspects and their accomplices with all property inside.
The bodies of the deceased were moved to Homa Bay mortuary.
