The three friends killed in Machakos/COURTESY
Families in Machakos are demanding justice after three young men were killed in a mob attack while returning home from watching a football match, an incident that has left residents shocked.
The victims, Kennedy Mutiso, 29, his younger brother Stanley Mutungu, 22, and their family friend Charles Mutiso, 25, had reportedly gone to watch the UEFA Champions League final between Arsenal and PSG before tragedy struck as they walked home.
According to relatives, the three left home on Saturday evening in high spirits but never returned.
Charles’ mother, who had travelled with him from Kiambu where she works, said she is still struggling to understand how a normal evening turned into a tragedy that claimed her son’s life.
“It is very unfortunate that I came with Charles from Kiambu where I work. On Saturday at around 6 pm he left to watch football and never came back,” she said.
“He is my son. I know him very well. He is not a thug, and he is innocent. What I demand is justice for these boys. We are neighbours, we have grown together. Why would they be killed like that?”
She added that the family had been plunged into deep pain and confusion, calling on authorities to act swiftly.
“We are pleading. It is very painful. We need justice for our sons. That is all,” she said.
Family accounts indicate that the incident began when the three were walking home after the match and one of them was allegedly knocked down by a vehicle. The group is said to have confronted the driver seeking clarification and accountability.
However, during the confrontation, the driver allegedly called for reinforcement from nearby boda boda riders, claiming that the young men were criminals attempting to rob him.
Moments later, a crowd gathered at the scene.
What began as a roadside dispute quickly escalated into a violent mob attack.
The three men were severely beaten, doused in petrol and set ablaze, sustaining burns covering an estimated 90 to 95 per cent of their bodies.
Police later retrieved their charred remains and transported them to Machakos Hospital mortuary, where they were initially registered as unidentified bodies.
For four agonising days, families searched hospitals and mortuaries across the region in desperate attempts to locate their loved ones before eventually identifying them at the mortuary.
Post-mortem examinations confirmed that the three died as a result of extensive burn injuries.
Authorities have yet to issue a detailed statement on arrests or progress in the ongoing investigations into the incident.
