There was drama in Nyahera, Kisumu County, on Saturday, after angry mourners invaded the home of a man suspected to have defiled a girl and then murdered her.
The burial was temporarily interrupted when angry mourners carried the casket to the suspect's house to avenge the deceased, and burnt his house in retaliation after he fled.
It is believed that the suspect, who was arrested and released by the court, is the man behind the death of the girl who was last seen in his home, from where he sells water from.
The body of the 14-year-old was later found dumped by the roadside, which led the mourners to invade the suspect's home immediately after her remains left a local church for prayers.
The mourners also faced off with police officers who attempted to prevent them from further destroying the suspect's property, resulting in running battles.
“The suspect was released under unclear circumstances and that is what has led to the violence,” said Douglas Miyumo, a resident in the area.
Confirming the incident, Kisumu County Police Commander Benson Maweu said that the case was a tough one and the court had to release him pending investigations.
He stated that no person had come forth to record a statement, including area chief whom he said does not want to speak on the issue, making it hard to prosecute the case.
“The villagers are only suspicious of him. No one wants to record a statement that we can use against the man,” he said.
A postmortem test showed that the girl was defiled, strangled and hit by a blunt object, resulting to her death.