Man rushed to hospital after mob beating in Kitale

A middle-aged man is fighting for his life at Kitale County Referred hospital after he was beaten by a mob on the instigation claims by two police reservists.

Samuel Masobo 45, was reportedly attacked by members of the public and left to die in Kitalale village after the officers shot in the air and attracted the crowd claiming that he has been found with a stolen cow.

Masobo's brother Frederick Chebusi claimed that one of the Officers had a personal grudge with the victim and shot in the air to incite the mob.

"We do not know what prompted them to shot in the air and shouting that they had found my brother with a cow stolen from Agricultural Development Corporation ADC attracting the public to attack him," said Chebusi.

Rights activists in the county condemned the incident and urged the independent police oversight authority IPOA to investigate the matter.

Led by Boniface Wanyoike, the programme officer with Justice and Peace Centre Kitale, the activists termed as shameful and action of brutality for police officers to incite the public against a suspect.

"What the officers did was shameful and criminal. Their action is unjustified and punishable. We are urging IPOA to investigate the incident.

They claimed that police brutality is rampant in the area citing last month's shooting of five people by police in Kolongolo area.

Early this month, police officers allegedly shot death a farmer Zakayo Rotino in Chepchoina farm, an incident linked to tribal skirmishes at the troubled border of West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.

Rotino was killed alongside his 3-year-old daughter as they slept by people believed to be police officers.