Angry mob lynches man after he kills boy in Tharaka-Nithi

Angry residents of Muragara village in Tharaka-Nithi County on Sunday stoned to death a 35-year-old man for killing a five-year-old boy by slashing his neck with a panga killed.

The residents later burnt the man’s body to ashes.

Eliud Mwenda Ndubi, a former convict, had tried to escape after committing the heinous act but irate residents who had responded to the screams of the boy cornered him and stoned him to death.

Maara OCPD Johnston Kabusia said the deceased Ndubi was released from prison a few weeks ago after serving a two-year jail term. He had been convicted of causing unrest by threatening to kill a villager.

Mr Kabusia said police were yet to establish why the man hacked the innocent child to death but added that investigations had been launched.

“We are shocked by the bizarre act and we have launched investigations to know exactly what happened,” said Mr Kabusia.

THREAT TO VILLAGERS

A resident, John Mutembei, told journalists that Ndubi had been a threat to the villagers before and even after serving his jail term.

He said the man used to smoke bhang in public and always threatened to kill people at the slightest provocation.

“For the two years that he was in prison, residents of this village had peaceful time and they wished he could remain there forever,” said Mr Mutembei.

Mr Kabusia said although residents are expected to accept and accommodate those who return from prison, they should to be very keen and always report to the police any strange behaviour by former convicts.

“Not all criminals change their behaviour after serving a jail term and that is why there is need for the people in the villages to be very keen with them,” he said.

But he asked people to refrain from taking the law into their own hands by killing or hurting suspected criminals but instead report them to the police for legal action.

The bodies of two were taken to Chuka County Referral Hospital mortuary.