Garissa County Commissioner James Kianda has warned members of the public against lynching suspected criminals.
Kianda states that members of the public have no right to lynch or beat up suspects linked to crime.
The commissioner warns that legal action will be taken against members of the public who will be caught lynching or beating up suspected criminals.
Speaking in Garissa Town on Tuesday, Kianda said that suspected criminals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“Members of the public must desist from taking the law into their hands by lynching or beating up criminals and instead allow the police to do their work,” he said.
He added, “The public has no right whatsoever to kill or injure a suspected criminal.”
On Monday, a suspected thief was stoned to death after he allegedly snatched a handbag from a lady at Gullet Market in Garissa Town.
The deceased is said to have threatened the victim with a knife before she screamed, attracting angry crowd that lynched him.
Meanwhile, Kianda has lauded locals for embracing Nyumba Kumi and other community policing security initiatives.
Kianda notes that crime rates within Garissa County have gone down drastically courtesy of the collaboration between the locals and the police.
Kianda said that locals have been volunteering information that has led to arrest of criminals.
“We want to thank Garissa residents for working with the police and encourage them to continue volunteering information on suspected criminals,” he said.
Kianda revealed that security in Garissa remains tight adding that a multi agency security team is on the ground to tame any terror or criminal threats.
[Garissa County Commissioner James Kianda in a past event. He has warned members of the public against lynching suspected criminals.] (Photo/www.kenyanewsagency.go.ke)