• Police headquarters, which has been documenting the incidents, say they have ordered investigations and action taken against the perpetrators.
• Police spokesperson Resla Onyango said they have rolled out civic education programmes as part of their efforts to curb the trend.
Image: The Star
Police authorities are concerned with the rising cases of mob lynching being recorded across the country.
What is more worrying is some victims of mob lynching have been found to be innocent.
Police headquarters, which has been documenting the incidents, say they have ordered investigations and action taken against the perpetrators.
Authorities also want vigilantes accused of similar incidents investigated.
The latest incident happened in Murang'a on Wednesday, where a mob raided Gachocho police station and attacked police officers before lynching a murder suspect.
Police said they had Wednesday arrested a suspect who had been accused of killing his brother on Tuesday night.
However, a mob invaded the police station demanding the suspect be handed over them. This caused tension that ended in chaos.
Two police vehicles were vandalised and the station damaged. Police officers were overwhelmed and had to take cover as the mob attacked and killed the suspect, who had been removed from the cell to a police car ready for evacuation.
Still on Wednesday, two other suspects accused of stealing a mobile phone from a female pedestrian were lynched in Embakasi, Nairobi.
Police said a third suspect managed to escape.
The victim told police she was walking to work at 5am when three men attacked her and robbed her of her mobile phone. She screamed for help and a mob responded and stoned two of the suspects to death.
Another suspect was lynched by a mob in Spring Valley in a botched robbery attempt on Wednesday evening, police said.
In Meru’s Riuga village, a suspect was Wednesday lynched after being accused of stealing chicken.
He was identified as Godfrey Kimaita, whom residents claimed was a known criminal. He was stoned to death.
Police said they are investigating.
On July 5, three people were lynched in Ibokolo village, Butere, in Kakamega, in a case that has turned out to be mistaken identity.
Six others were rushed to hospital with injuries, police said after rescuing them.
A team has been sent to the area to arrest those behind the attack.
Butere subcounty police commander Julius Kipkorir said the three were in a group travelling to Uganda when their driver mistakenly entered a village where cases of child trafficking have reportedly been on the rise.
This triggered suspicion and a mob attacked them.
"The case is that of mistaken identity. The suspects were victims. The matter is still under investigation," Kipkorir said.
The vehicle they were travelling in had nine occupants, including the driver. When the vehicle made its way into the village, two 14-year-old boys saw them and retreated to their home.
The mother of the two children who were mistaken to be the target said she escorted them out of the house as she does every morning.
"However, upon getting to the gate, they turned, came back running to the house, locked the door and told me they had seen the car that steals children on the road," she recalled.
She informed neighbours who raised the alarm, triggering the mob attack and the torching of the vehicle.
One of the victims told police they were travelling to Kampala to conduct DNA tests as part of their preparations to travel abroad.
Police discourage mob lynching and term it criminal.
They want suspects arrested and surrendered to authorities for processing and possible prosecution.
Police say in most mob lynching incidents, the victims are framed.
The most worrying trend is the one involving boda boda riders.
Police say whenever a rider is involved in an accident, others resort to mob lynching and attacks which leave devastating effects.
Police spokesperson Resla Onyango said they have rolled out civic education programmes as part of their efforts to curb the trend.
"Mob lynching is criminal and must be discouraged. We have had incidents where those involved have been charged with serious offences," she said.
Onyango also cited a case where a judge had in January 2023 in Siaya convicted two people for the lynching of a suspected mobile phone thief, saying it should serve as a lesson.
“Those caught may be charged and convicted. Let suspects be surrendered to authorities for processing,” she said.