One of the three suspected thieves was lynched by an angry mob in the Bukesa area of Matayos Constituency, Busia County, in the dawn after he was allegedly caught stealing from a local church amid rising insecurity in the area.
The deceased is said to have been part of a group of three men who reportedly broke into International Fellowship Church (I.F.C) Bukesa Church under the cover of darkness before he was busted looking suspicious while standing outside the church waiting for his colleagues to get out of the church.
According to the church’s pastor, Stephen Opilo, the suspects gained entry by breaking through a window before embarking on a spree targeting church properties such as utensils, furniture, and sound systems.
"I received news from one of my believers that thieves had gained entrance into the church and one of them had been lynched. When I arrived at the chruch i found a crowd of angry locals, and beside it was the body of a young man. They had gained access by breaking one of the windows, and they were stealing utensils, furniture, and sound systems," said Opilo.
He added, "According to eyewitnesses, one of the suspects, who is now the deceased, remained outside the church premises, allegedly acting as a lookout, while the other two went inside to collect valuables. However, their plan was disrupted when vigilant residents, alerted by unusual movement and noise, responded swiftly and confronted the man stationed outside."
The incident has sparked renewed concern among residents and religious leaders over the increasing cases of theft targeting places of worship in the region.
"This is a worrying trend that even the house of worship is no longer safe because several churches across Matayos Constituency have recently fallen victim to break-ins at night, and the most stolen items are furniture, utensils, and sound systems, and we are calling upon security agencies to beef up the security by intensifying night patrols and also act swiftly when needed," said Opilo.
He added," I want to appeal to youth to earn money from genuine work; they should eat from their sweat because the suspects are young people from within our communities, and they should repent and be good people and stop using drugs that make them lazy."
Local leaders lamented the high cases of insecurity in the area, especially in places of worship, while calling on authorities to step up efforts to curb crime in the area.
"It was around 5 AM when one of the young people looked suspicious outside the church premises very early in the morning, and when he was confronted, his colleagues heard the commotion and tried to escape, and it was at that point that we knew they were thieves. The angry locals descended on one and lynched him, while the two managed to escape but with injuries," said James Neto.
He added, "We are experiencing high cases of insecurity, especially burglaries in churches and homes. Sadly, young people dare to break into the church and steal. This shows the level of security in this area is wanting, and we want police to act."
Regional Police Commander George Seda, speaking to the Standard, assured locals of the Western region of maximum security for their properties and personal safety.
"I have instructed police to ensure they get rid of any criminal gang or element and to activate night patrols so that our people can live and do their activities without any fear of attack or robbery," said Seda.
