Police in Kitengela arrest Congolese over man’s stabbing

Mr Godfrey Arani displays a bandaged hand which he alleged was injured after he was stabbed by a Congolese national in Kitengela on March 26, 2017. The suspected was later arrested. PHOTO | JOSEPH NGUNJIRI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Officers from Kitengela Police Station were called in and had to shoot in the air to disperse the angry crowd.
  • 32-year-old Godfrey Arani had an altercation with two Congolese men, which led to his stabbing.
  • A boda boda rider said angry residents wanted to lynch the alleged culprit.
  • They are now calling for the eviction of Congolese refugees from the area.

Police in Kitengela, Kajiado County, on Sunday night shot several times in the air to rescue a Congolese man from being lynched by an angry mob who accused him of stabbing a local.

The mob had gathered at a flat in Kyang’ombe estate some minutes to 11 pm, baying for the Congolese man’s blood.

Officers from Kitengela Police Station were called in and had to shoot in the air to disperse the angry crowd.

The crowd later regrouped and attempted to torch a church frequented by members of the Congolese community that lives in the area.

The door to the empty structure made of iron sheets was set on fire while some of the iron sheets were damaged.

Again police had to shoot in the air to save the church from being destroyed.

The officers rescued the man, who is being held at the Kitengela Police Station.

STABBED

It is said that the Kenyan man, 32-year-old Godfrey Arani, earlier in the evening had an altercation with two Congolese men, which led to his stabbing.

Mr Arani, who works at the Export Processing Zones (EPZ) in Athi River, told the Nation that he was going to see a colleague when he encountered the two Congolese men.

A church frequented by members of the Congolese community that lives in Kitengela which was damaged by angry residents after a Congolese man allegedly stabbed a resident. PHOTO | JOSEPH NGUNJIRI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

“Just as I was passing them, one of them elbowed me on the chest and I fell down,” he explained.

“As I sought to establish why they were attacking me, the man who elbowed me removed a knife from his pocket and stabbed me on my arm,” he added.

WENT TO CLINIC

Mr Arani said that he ran away from the two and went to a nearby clinic for treatment.

“I later went to Kitengela Police Station to report the matter,” said Mr Arani.

When news of his stabbing spread, angry residents decided to “teach the Congo people a lesson”.

A boda boda rider, who did not want to be identified, told Nation that residents wanted to lynch the alleged culprit.

They are now calling for the eviction of Congolese refugees from the area.

“If these people are not willing to live with us peacefully, they should be taken to refugee camps,” the boda boda rider said.

Isinya Police Boss Stephen Weda told that Nation that officers were forced to shoot in the air to disperse the angry crowd.

He added that the culprit is currently in police custody at the Kitengela Police Station.