Public kills two suspected thugs

By standard team

The public killed two suspected motorcycle thieves and set their bodies ablaze in Mombasa.

The suspects were two men, one of Caucasian origin, and his heavily built African accomplice.

The incident took place at the sprawling Maweni village, Kisauni, Mombasa County on Tuesday afternoon.

By the time journalists arrived at the scene, smoke from an old motor vehicle tyre that was used to burn the suspects engulfed the area. Locals milled around the scene to have a glimpse of the two, whom sources described as ‘wanted’ thugs.

Witness told The Standard that a group of motorcycle riders caught up with the duo in the estate and demanded to know their mission.

"They readily confessed to be involved in a series of motor cycle thefts and volunteered to show the group where they take the motorcycles after stealing," a resident who identified himself as Kelvin Sudi said.

A motorcyclist, Mr Denis Kiroboto Wafula, said several of their colleagues have been victims of attacks by the two, who masqueraded as passengers at night.

Forced to surrender

Unsuspecting boda boda operators are forced to surrender their motorcycles after being threatened.

The motorcycles are sold in Malindi and across the border in Tanzania where their engines are fitted into fishing boats. Kisauni OCPD Julius Wanyonyi said the killing of the two was organised, as the suspects had been brought from the town centre to the area where they were lynched.

He said by the time officers arrived at the scene, the suspects were already dead, adding that one of them was identified immediately.

The bodies were taken to Coast General Hospital.

Meanwhile, a mob beat up a suspected gangster and seriously injured him in Taita-Taveta County. The public cornered the suspect at Ikanga and beat him up before police came to his rescue and took him to Voi District Hospital, where he is admitted in critical condition.

Police said the suspect was on the list of most wanted criminals, as he had allegedly been engaging in armed robberies in the region.

— Reports by Philip Mwakio, Linah Benyawa and Renson Mnyamwezi