Suspected criminals lynched in Kericho

BY NIKKO TANUI

KERICHO, KENYA: Two suspected gangsters were lynched to death by members of the public at Cheromit trading center, along Kericho- Litein road, 8Kms from Kericho town.

Kericho West OCPD Gerald Mbae said area residents had spotted the two who were in a group of three changing clothes at 9:30 AM in a tea buying center in the nearby Chebaon tea estate before heading to a local roadside hotel to have breakfast.

“When members of  the public approached the two with a view of establishing their identity and their mission in the area, one of the deceased gangsters reacted by whipping out a Ceska pistol from his waist and shot twice in the air in an attempt to scare the crowd away,” Mbae said.

Nonetheless, the crowd raised an alarm and pursued the gangsters who attempted to flee the area in different direction and cornered them at the nearby tea plantations where they were mercilessly lynched to death.

He said police recovered the Ceska pistol but its magazine was missing.

“We are still trying to find it as it could have been lost in their process of trying to escape from the mob which was baying for their blood,” Mbae said.

He added that police caught up with a woman suspect who is believed was part of the group at Kapkilaibei, in Konioin district, 10 Kms from the scene.

The OCPD said the bodies of the deceased were removed to Kericho district hospital mortuary.

Mbae cautioned area residents against rushing to take matters into their own hands whenever they spot suspicious characters but instead alert the police who are better trained to handle such characters and situations.

Richard Siele who runs a roadside hotel where the deceased had their breakfast claimed the suspects had a day earlier been spotted along the highway near Changoi trading center.

Kericho County Assembly members led by Livingstone Kipkoech (Seretut/Cheptororiet ward) Joel Siele (Kipchebor ward) and Weldon Kipyegon Chelabul (Chaik ward) warned criminals to stay away from the county as the police and members of the public are on a high alert for such characters.

The lynching came a day after journalists in Kericho town led police in arresting six suspected con-artists who had invaded the town with the intention of conning tea farmers out of their tea bonus.

Sh10.8 billion is in circulation in Kericho and Bomet, compared to Sh9.81billion paid in the previous year.