Irate members of public lynch murder suspect

Irate members of the public in Konoin have lynched a 23-year-old man suspected  to have murdered his neighbour two weeks ago.

Irked by a decision by police to release him from remand, residents of Siomo village in Konoin pounced on him as he arrived at the village after weeks of detention.

Normal business came to a standstill as the residents engaged him in running battles before beating him and lynching him beyond recognition.

“It is wrong for the police to release him yet he was involved in the murder of one of our neighbors,” a resident who sought anonymity said for fear of being victimized.

He said the deceased was a notorious criminal has been involved in many cases, latest being the murder of a neighbour two weeks ago.

“He is a known criminal and we were shocked to see him strolling the village after being suspected of murdering an innocent person,” he added.

Failed rescue

He said they decided to take the law into their own hands bring to an end in criminal activities.

“We have been living in peace while he was being detained and we have decided to serve instant justice,” another resident said.

Siomo Sub-Location Assistant Chief Robert Kirui said the irate villagers could not hear his plea to allow him to be arrested and taken back to police station.

“I was called and I tried pleading with them not to take the law into their hands but they went ahead and lynched him,” the administrator said.

Kirui decried the move by police to set the him free.

“I made it known to police that the public was not receptive and he may be killed but they went ahead and released him,” the chief said.

He said the deceased was released on ground that there was no sufficient evidence linking him to his neighbour’s death.

According to the chief, the suspect is said to have waylaid the deceased after a drinking expedition before stabbing him several times with a knife for unknown reasons.

“He stabbed him on the chest over unknown reason and we immediately took him in but a knife he used to in the killing was not found and leading to the DPP order a public inquest and subsequent release,” Kirui said.

Police said they are investigating his lynching.