Woman reprimands grandson as he was being lynched over theft

A woman reprimanded her grandson as he was being lynched by a mob in Uasin Gishu County.

The man and an accomplice, both aged between 19 and 23, had broken into a house and stolen electronics. A mob rounded them up at Cheplasgei Trading Centre.

The mob beat up the two, whom they accused of being part of a gang that had been terrorising residents in the past two months.

The irate mob later lynched them. As one of them was burning, his grandmother arrived at the scene and started rebuking him for not heeding her advice to quit stealing.

"His grandmother knelt beside him and began telling him that his criminal activities had led to his death even after the family had warned him to stop engaging in crime," said John Kipkering, a resident.

Locals accused security officers of failing to apprehend members of the gang, and vowed to continue lynching thugs until security is improved.

Kipchamo Chief George Tarus said the two were apprehended by locals as they fled from a house they had broken into.

Elsewhere, residents of Sugoi have complained of increased insecurity. They accused police of laxity and colluding with criminals.

The angry residents were reacting to the brutal murder of 65-year-old Daniel Birgen, a security guard at St. John's Sokyot Secondary School.

"We were shocked on Tuesday morning when we found the body of the security guard in one of the classrooms. His limbs were fastened with a rope. There was also blood at the scene and we suspect he might have been hit on the head," said Chrispinus Mukenye the school's principal.

Mr Birgen's widow Susan told The Standard her husband had been employed on July 6, and had not even received his first salary.

"He chose to work as a watchman in the institution to supplement our small income and pay fees for one of our children who studies in the same school. We have seven children and without a formal job it is difficult to fend for them," she said.