Police have clarified that John Muchiri whose body was reported missing and later found dead was a victim of mob justice.
Police said that Muchiri had been booked as a missing person on January 3, 2024, and was found dead by the roadside in the Milimani Kawaida area of Banana, Kiambaa, Kiambu County.
According to police, the case was classified as an abduction but subsequent investigations have clarified the circumstances.
DCI said the investigations revealed that the deceased, along with several accomplices, had scaled the perimeter wall of a nearby rental property with the intent to commit theft.
"Witnesses reported hearing them walking on the iron sheet roof and tampering with the Wi-Fi network receiver installed there. Upon noticing the intruders, residents raised the alarm, prompting the suspects to flee by jumping off the roof in different directions," DCI added.
The detectives said that the deceased was apprehended by the crowd and subjected to mob justice approximately 20 meters from the rental property.
Police investigation confirmed that the residents of the property had previously been victims of multiple break-ins and burglaries.
The body of the deceased is currently at the Kihara Level IV Hospital mortuary, awaiting autopsy.
This comes against the backdrop of claims of abduction cases in the country.
On Monday, two more youths who had been allegedly abducted in December were found alive.
This increased to four the number of those so far released by alleged abductors.
The families of Billy Mwangi, Peter Muteti, Bernard Kavuli and Rony Kiplangat said their kin had contacted them.
Mwangi and Muteti had met their families physically.
Officials said Rony was found in Machakos County, and Bernard Kavuli, who was abducted in Ngong, was found in Kitale.
They were struggling to reach their families.
Peter Muteti was found in Nairobi CBD and witnesses said he was disoriented and now recovering from home.
Human rights activists planned a protest on Monday, January 6 to denounce abduction and forced disappearance.
Police were deployed to various places to address the threats to hold the protests.
