Family demands answers after mob beats son to death

Shocked family members of a 15-year-old student in Shinyalu who died mysteriously. Family members suspects he might have been killed by vigilante. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

The family of a 15-year-old student in Ikolomani Constituency, Kakamega County, is demanding justice after the boy was killed in unclear circumstances.

Utshnoonlar Indenjekho is said to have died barely a day after receiving a beating from a 'Nyumba Kumi' vigilante group at Shirumba village last Sunday.

Moses Masero, the boy’s father, could not hold back tears while recounting the events that led to the death of his son.

Mr Masero said on the fateful day, Indenjekho, a Form Three student had been sent to Malinya trading centre to buy foodstuff. But one hour later, Masero received a call from a stranger.

“He informed me that my son had been found in a homestead with a school girl whose mother raised an alarm attracting the nyumba kumi vigilante team that responded and disciplined the boy,” said Masero.

“My son was strangled by a man who was armed with a stick. I asked my brother to go to my son’s rescue as I gathered information on what had happened from the people at the scene,” said Masero.

“My son could not utter a word as we left the scene, occasionally, he would nod whenever we asked him a question,” he added.

Masero said his son’s condition deteriorated on Monday following the beating and he could not move, speak, nor open his eyes.

The student was taken to Sheywe Community Hospital and referred to Kakamega County General Hospital where he succumbed on Tuesday afternoon.

Ikolomani OCPD Benjamin Wambua confirmed the death, stating that police have already launched investigations into the incident and that they are waiting for the postmortem results.

“The incident was reported by the deceased’s father, we cannot conclude anything right now until we get the postmortem results,” he said.