A dramatic video making rounds on social media captures the moment a police officer in Eldoret rescued a suspected phone thief from a furious mob, just in the nick of time.
The footage, now viral, shows a young man being thrown to the ground and beaten by a group of people, with more joining in.
Within seconds, a uniformed police officer appears on the scene and swiftly intervenes, stopping further blows from being directed at the man and evacuating him from the scene using a boda boda.
The clip was captioned: "Our Eldoret police swiftly intervene to prevent a suspected phone thief from being lynched by a mob, diffusing a volatile situation. Lucky break for the chap... maombi ya wazazi muhimu!"
Social media users were quick to react, many stunned at the man's narrow escape. One user, @zappykenya, commented: "Uyo police ameokolea huyo mzee."
This incident comes amid growing concern over mob justice across the country.
Just last month, Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino condemned the rising number of such cases in the subcounty.
"It is very sad that we are mourning the deaths of two businessmen who were working hard to help grow our economy. The deceased had families they were taking care of. Who is going to play their roles?" Owino said, referring to a recent tragedy where a butcher and his driver were killed near Kobodo trading centre.
The two had purchased a cow from a local farmer, but a mob mistook them for cattle thieves.
They were attacked and killed on the spot, and their vehicle was set ablaze.
In a separate case earlier this year, a gruesome murder in Nandi County triggered chaos after residents stormed Chemase Police Post.
The suspect, Victor Kimtai, had allegedly confessed to beheading a man and disposing of the head in a pit latrine.
As officers attempted to retrieve the remains, news of the crime spread rapidly, drawing an enraged crowd of over 3,000 people to the station.
The mob overpowered the police and lynched the suspect.
