Villagers burn suspected thugs’ hideout

By MAUREEN ODIWUOR

Villagers have torched five houses belonging to suspected robbers and a witchdoctor in Tiengre village in Kisumu.

Angry residents complained of constant harassment from the suspects, who despite being

Residents of Tiengre village in Kisumu view one of the burnt buildings suspected to have been habouring robbers.  [PHOTO: TITUS MUNALA/STANDARD]

arrested on a number of occasions were always freed on bond.

“They have a pending case over the same but continued to rob and threaten to attack us. Something had to be done to bring the vice to an end,” said a villager who did not wish to be named.

A local elder, Enock Okoth, said the houses were set ablaze at 10pm on Wednesday night after a search for the suspects failed to bear fruit.

“The witchdoctor’s house was also burnt down because he was suspected of administering protection charms to the suspects,” added Okoth.

Kisumu Deputy OCPD Muthuri Mwongera confirmed the incident, saying nothing was salvaged from the houses.