A suspected chicken thief was on Sunday evening lynched by irate residents after reportedly escaping from the police.
Edward Okoth was attacked by the residents near Ngegu Police Post in Rangwe, Homabay County, after fooling the officers that he needed to respond to a call of nature.
Witnesses said that the man who had been arrested earlier with stolen chicken was captured by residents as he tried to jump over the fence, after which they killed him.
“He tried jumping over the fence of the police station. He was later cornered by villages who stoned him to death,” said Mr Owino.
Okoth was arrested last week after locals of Kaura Sub Location lamented that he stole 14 hens from them on Sunday last week and was later spotted selling the birds at a local market.
On realizing that he had been spotted, he abandoned the birds and escaped to Sindo Town, but the residents alerted the police who managed to arrest him.
He was then taken back to Ngegu where he escaped, only to land in the hands of the angry mob.
Confirming the incident, area Police Commander Esther Seroney said that a comprehensive report will be released once investigations are complete.
The body of the deceased is being preserved at the Homa Bay County Referral Hospital morgue.