Migori public beats up 'beggar' for faking deafness to solicit money

A 25-year-old man is nursing injuries after he was beaten by an irate mob for soliciting money while pretending to be deaf.

The Tuesday morning incident left residents in bewilderment after the young man, who locals identified as Barack Otieno from Nyakach Koguta village in Kisumu County, was spotted by one of the victims he had conned speaking on phone, raising eyebrows from the man who later raised the alarm.

He was then waylaid by residents and beaten up as he traversed Migori town with a document which he used to collect funds from unsuspecting members of the public.

The residents claimed the man, who pretended to be deaf and dumb, had been walking around estates in Migori seeking financial support to ''join a tailoring college in the town''.

FAKE PLIGHT

Locals said the brochure was constantly renewed whenever it was filled up and stamped for authenticity.

"I met him last week in our estate and gave him Sh200 after reading the brochure. I knew he was deaf only to meet him the following day speaking so loudly on phone," said James Omondi, a resident of Aroso estate in Migori.

Mr Omondi said the man took off when he confronted him but was apprehended by locals.

"Why was he running away if he knew his case was genuine? That is what prompted his beating," said a witness.

Peter Ochieng, a businessman in Migori town, urged young people to work hard and avoid using short-cuts that could cost them their lives.

"While most young people do menial jobs to earn an honest living, some have resorted to conmanship. Let our young people work," he said.

The suspect was frogmarched to Migori police station where he is being held.