Man lynched in Ndaragwa after killing his daughter's boyfriend

Double tragedy hit Kirima Village in Ndaragwa after a man killed an 18-year-old boy for allegedly cohabiting with his daughter.

The 58-year-old man was later lynched by an angry mob and his house torched.

According to the residents, the man identified as Joseph Macharia was opposed to the relationship, and had warned the young man to keep off his daughter.

But yesterday morning, the father reportedly found the daughter with the boy and he attacked him with a panga.

Residents said that the boy was hacked in the head after his girlfriend fled.

"The man woke up in the morning and found the two and suspected that they had spent the night together. It was then that he started insulting the boy and an exchange of words ensued," said Grace Nyokabi.

Ms Nyokabi said that after a moment, Macharia went to his house and came back with the panga.

"A fight ensued, forcing the girl to flee. It was after that that he hacked the boy in the head," she said.

Nyokabi said the young man died as he was being taken to hospital.

Angry residents then turned on Macharia, whom they beat to death.

"They beat him up and later burnt him using old tyres. They later burnt his house out of anger," she said.

However, Nyandarua County Commissioner Samuel Wamiti contradicted the claims, saying that the teenager had gone to steal from the man's house when he was killed.

He said that it was wrong for residents to take the law into their hands.

"This is unfortunate since initial investigations indicate that the boy had gone to steal although there are other unconfirmed claims. The residents should have waited for the police to carry out investigations," he said.

The two bodies were moved to Nyahururu District Hospital mortuary.