Mwala residents have been cautioned against taking law into their own hands.
Area deputy county commissioner Aphaxard Gitonga said two wrongs do not make a right.
Gitonga said it is not right for the locals to take law into their own hands whenever incidences occur in Mwala sub-county.
He addressed the press in his office on Wednesday.
Gitonga was reacting to two different incidences where three lorries belonging to sand dealers were torched by irate residents for alleged illegal sand harvesting in the sub-county.
He said the residents should instead call the police in case such incidences happen.
The lorries were burnt in a span of two days.
''Residents should learn to refrain themselves from taking the law into their hands when a crime has taken place, two wrongs don't make a right. We know you mean well but let the concerned authorities deal with the situation,'' Gitonga said.
Gitonga, however, announced sand harvesting ban in Mwala Sub-county.
He warned the residents against engaging in illegal sand trade in the entire sub-county.
''No one will be spared, the sand ban is effective and anyone found scooping sand illegally will face the law,'' he said.
The residents have been complaining of sand harvesting menace in their rivers.
They accused the authorities of turning a blind eye to the situation.
This comes barely a week since the Machakos assembly resolved through the Sectoral Committee on the Environment and Natural resources that the executive, as well as other relevant state agencies, impose a 1-year sand harvesting ban in the county.
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