Police in Tharaka Nithi County are investigating an incident where a local administrator was lynched to death by members of the public.
Kiamaindi Location Chief Joseph Mayau was chopped to pieces by irate villagers who later set his body in fire on Tuesday evening.
The incident was confirmed by Tharaka Nithi County Commissioner Beverly Opwora who said that a probe has been launched into the matter.
“According to the reports, the chief was killed by angry residents but our officers are on the ground gathering information to ascertain the allegations,” she said.
The paper reports that the residents took the move to avenge a fellow villager, who was allegedly killed by the chief's brother Gikware Mukengu.
Mukengu reportedly detained goats belonging to the villager, Gitonga Kabuibe, after his disappearance in December 2018, his skeleton was found near River Thuci three weeks ago.
The chief met his death at his brother's home where he had been sent by Chuka-Igamba Ng'ombe Deputy County Commissioner to handle the matter.
This was after the villagers raised the issue with the Deouty County Commissioner.
On seeing him, the villagers landed on him and killed him on the spot by slashing him with pangas after Mukengu managed to escape.
The chief and his brother were also facing allegations of grabbing land belonging to villagers.