[Kisii police commander Agnes Mudambi in a past event. She has confirmed that a mob lynched a motorbike suspect on Wednesday in Kisii. Photo/Hivisasa.com]
A mob on Wednesday lynched a man suspected of motorcycle theft in Nyabioto, Bogiakumu Location, Gucha South sub-county, Kisii County.
The enraged mob chased the man, who had been suspected of stealing a motorbike from Suneka Township on Tuesdayafternoon, caught him and beat him before setting him alight.
According to Kisii County Commander Ms Agnes Mudambi, the incident was reported to her officers at roundmidnight, almost an hour after its occurrence.
“We were called by concerned residents who had discovered the body of the suspect lying beside the road at the village. The deceased was badly burned, with his hands tied behind him,” said the police boss.
“No one has come forward to confirm the identity of the deceased,” said Ms Mudambi.
A resident, Mr Sospeter Makario, said he was awakened from sleep by the shouts of the mob.
"At first when I heard the screams of the mob, I was terrified and did not leave my house immediately. I later went to the scene and found the mob had left the man lying beside the road, badly burnt with hands tied behind his back," said Mr Makario.
He told the Nation he did not see any of the attackers that participated in the man’s killing.
Police officers from Gesonso Police Station who visited the scene took the body to Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital Morgue where it awaits postmortem.
No suspects have been arrested in connection with the mob injustice incident.
Ms Mudambi appealed to the county residents not to take the law into their own hands, saying it was illegal.
“The law does not allow the taking of a person’s life for any reason whatsoever, up to and including the commission of a crime. If a person is apprehended while committing a criminal act, he should be handed over to the police for appropriate legal measures to be taken,” she said.