Four people have lost their lives in two separate incidents of mob justice following robbery cases in Kakamega County. Authorities report that three of the deceased were suspected of killing a bodaboda rider during a robbery, while the fourth was killed in an unrelated but similar incident.
The events began on August 3 when a bodaboda rider, identified as Aluda Misoga, was found murdered. Misoga had reportedly picked up three pillion passengers headed toward Bungoma Town. Along the way, the passengers allegedly turned against him, killing him and fleeing with his motorcycle.
On August 6, members of the public spotted three individuals in the Turbo area of Uasin Gishu County riding a motorcycle believed to have been stolen during the attack on Misoga. An alarm was raised, prompting the suspects to flee towards the Makutano area. Unbeknownst to them, locals had been alerted and had set a trap in anticipation of their arrival.
As the suspects arrived, an angry mob descended upon them. They were stoned and beaten before their bodies were set ablaze. Police arrived at the scene after the killings and moved the charred remains to the mortuary for autopsy and identification procedures.
Lugari Sub-County police indicated that the three were attacked while riding separate motorcycles and that the incident was linked to the earlier bodaboda murder. They condemned the act of mob justice, stressing the importance of due legal process.
Law enforcement has reiterated the dangers of citizens taking the law into their own hands. Authorities are urging the public to report suspects to police rather than resorting to violence. They emphasize that suspects should be subjected to a legal process to determine guilt or innocence, instead of being punished without trial.
In separate but related cases, two other individuals were lynched by mobs in different regions—Suna in Migori County and Kerugoya in Kirinyaga County. These incidents underline a worrying trend of mob violence where suspected criminals are executed without any judicial oversight.
The spate of mob killings has raised concern among security agencies, who continue to warn against the rising cases of extrajudicial actions by members of the public. Police have launched investigations into the incidents.
