Residents lynch two suspected thieves in Nyeri

Two suspected robbers were on Wednesday morning lynched after they were caught stealing from a woman in Kamuyu village, Nyeri town.

The woman had just left her house when she was accosted by three men who wanted to rob her.

Nyeri County AP Commander Njue Njagi while confirming the morning the 5am incident said the police arrived at the scene when two robbers had been lynched but recovered a dagger and an identity card.

He said police had launched a manhunt for the third suspect who escaped on foot.

INSECURITY

Samuel Munyiii, the chair of the Nyumba Kumi Initiative, said the residents were angered by an increase in criminal activities in the area when they cornered the suspects and set them ablaze.

He decried rising insecurity in the area and recruitment of youth in to dangerous gangs that were terrorising residents.

The AP commander however warned residents against taking the law into their hands by killing suspects instead of handing them over to the police.

“The public should not kill suspects. We are guided by the rule of law,” he said.

The charred bodies of the two suspects were moved to Nyeri County Referral Hospital Mortuary.

Meanwhile, police have gunned down a suspected member of a notorious criminal gang in Nyali, Mombasa.

The suspect who is accused of being a member of the knife-wielding gang, Wakali Kwanza, was shot dead at Swalihina along old Malindi road.

He was killed at around 7am.

Nyali police boss Christopher Rotich said the suspect who was armed with a machete attempted to attack a police officer before he was shot.

“The police officers had responded to calls by residents when three juvenile criminals engaged in a stealing spree from them early in the morning. When the officers responded one of them tried to attack our officer before he was repulsed,” said Mr Rotich.

He said two other suspects escaped.

Mr Rotich said the crackdown on the gang is targeting a ring leader whom he identified as Jillo.

He said Jillo who has been leading the gang has been on the police radar.

The outlawed criminal gangs have been terrorising residents of Kisauni and Nyali constituencies.

The residents have been living in fear of the dreaded gangs which comprise of youth aged between 12 to 24 years.

Shop owners have been among the most targeted by the youth. Following the rise of the incidents particularly in Kisauni, Mombasa county commissioner Evans Achoki is set to hold a security meeting on Friday to deliberate with the residents on the security matters.

The meeting dubbed 'Wacha Crime Weka' Peace is organised in conjunction with a Kisauni youth organisation.

Sources revealed that a number of the members are set to surrender to the authorities during the event.