Mombasa gangs: Profiles of teens who faced mob justice

Nurses at Coast General Hospital in Mombasa attend to one of the six boys from Kongowea who were attacked in Likoni on suspicion of being gangsters, December 28, 2018. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Their ordeal is a heart-wrenching snapshot of the gang violence that has plagued the Coast in recent times.
  • Michael Otieno sustained the worst injuries following attacks on his group by boda boda operators who were reportedly meting out mob justice after a failed robbery attempt on their colleague.
  • Those who sustained injuries due to the violence are 15-year-old Salim Wachu, Alfan Faiz (14), Patrick Mahenge (16), Said Omar (18) and Jafar Suleiman (19). Salim is the only one in the group who is not attending school.
  • Coast Regional Police Commander Noah Mwivanda told the Sunday Nation that the teens were accosted by members of the public in Likoni when their activities drew suspicion.

The profiles of the five teenagers who survived Friday morning’s mob violence at Likoni in Mombasa, and which left an 18-year-old dead, read like ill-developed characters in a work of fiction.

Whether the youths are robbers or innocent teens, as some of their parents say, is still under investigation, but their ordeal is a heart-wrenching snapshot of the gang violence that has plagued the Coast in recent times.

MOB JUSTICE

The young man who died in the dawn brawl at Senti Kumi village is called Michael Otieno.

He sustained the worst injuries following attacks on his group by boda boda operators who were reportedly meting out mob justice after a failed robbery attempt on their colleague.

Michael was to join Form Three in January. According to police, his parents had reported his disappearance at Nyali Police Station three weeks ago.

The boy was declared dead at the Coast Provincial General Hospital where he was taken with the others.

SUSPICION

Those who sustained injuries due to the violence are 15-year-old Salim Wachu, Alfan Faiz (14), Patrick Mahenge (16), Said Omar (18) and Jafar Suleiman (19). Salim is the only one in the group who is not attending school.

Alfan is the third-born son of Mr Faiz Shongwe and his wife Naima. Naima fainted when she saw her heavily-bandaged son at the hospital on Friday.

After regaining consciousness, Ms Naima said her son had been engaging in suspicious activities and that she had warned him.

The boy’s aunt Halima Abdalla warned her nephew as he lay on the bed injured, advising him that crime does not pay.

Alfan’s father said the boy was to join Standard Eight at Burhaniya Primary school next year.

“On that day, he joined his friends for a party in Likoni. I have never seen him engage in any criminal activity. That is what we expect the police to shed light on. Those who took the law into their own hands must be also be held accountable for their deeds,” said Mr Shongwe.

NO SIGNS

Patrick, on the other hand, is expected to join Form Four when schools reopen.

Said will be joining Form Two at Bamburi Secondary School in Kisauni. His father, Mr Omar Said, said the occurrence shocked him.

“He went to a party with a friends to Likoni but we received the news that he was attacked on suspicion of being a criminal. I am yet to ascertain that because I never saw any signs of him with such habits,” said Mr Said.

Jafar is expected to return to a secondary school in Kisumu where he will be joining Form Four from next year.

The attack worsens his situation because it has been just three months since his mother died.

His grandmother Sahale Taisir said Jafar had gone to Likoni to visit his aunt.

POLICE REPORT

Coast Regional Police Commander Noah Mwivanda told the Sunday Nation that the teens were accosted by members of the public in Likoni when their activities drew suspicion.

“These are the boys who have been terrorising people in Kisauni. Police in Nyali previously received a report from their parents expressing fears they could be engaging in criminal activities so investigations were launched,” Mr Mwivanda said.

But according to Mr Francis Auma, the rapid response officer for Muslims for Human Rights (Muhuri), the body boda riders must be arrested for murder.

He argued that taking the law into one’s hand does not solve any problem.

“The act of theft is strongly condemned. It’s an indication of a failing structure within the society. Equally, killing of any nature is discouraged. Life is precious and must be guarded. The fundamental right to life is guaranteed by the Constitution,” added Mr Auma.