Meru– A man was assaulted and stoned by an angry mob that accused him of cutting another man with a machete.
According to a resident, the man caught a thief stealing Miraa at his farm and cut him. He said that the mob included members of a gang affiliated with the thief.
The man had fled the mob, which had pursued him and eventually caught up with him after breaking a door of a resident’s house where the man had run into and locked himself inside the children’s bedroom.
According to the wife of the owner of the house, the mob threatened to torch the house and before throwing large stones in an attempt to break the door.
The mob managed to get him and he was severely beaten.
By the time the assistant chief arrived at the scene, he already sustained injuries.
“I went to see what had happened after hearing loud screams by the road when I noticed a mob chasing after a man. The man stormed into my house and barricaded himself in my children’s bedroom. The mob threatened to torch my home and began throwing stones at it,” said the wife of the owner of the house.
“When I realized what was about to happen, I asked a neighbor to break the window so I could take my sleeping daughter and went to the police station to file a report,” she said
“We are not related to the victim and I despise people who take the law into their own hands. The ruckus caused significant damage to my property,” she said.
According to Gitonga, assistant chief, Kathelwa, the victim of mob justice was identified as Reuben and the suspect he cut with a machete was identified as Kabueshe.
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“All I know about Reuben is that he stays indoors and keeps it to himself,” said Gitonga.
“I received a phone call while I was in Marindi, informing me that a victim of mob justice had cut a suspect with a machete.
“I had cautioned the residents to stay put and wait for the police. However, I arrived on time and saved the victim from being brutally beaten to death,” said Gitonga`
The assistant chief said that the ruckus resulted in the destruction of an unspecified amount of property. He advised residents against taking the law into their own hands because a similar incident in the future could happen to a mentally ill or innocent victim.
“In every mob justice, there is a frontier who propels the act, and we hope Reuben will identify those involved once he recovers,” he said
According to David Kiorothe, the owner of the house, the victim of mob justice is from Kiorotone village, and they own land in Kiolone near Kathelwa.
“When I was in Meru town, my wife informed me about the incident. I called the Kathelwa police station and was told to send someone on the scene to report to the station,” said David.
“The police officers did not respond, so we received no assistance. I had someone else go to the Kangeta police station and file a report. I called the former Kathelwa senior chief and asked him to inform the Kathelwa police officers that my house was about to be burned down and also asked him to assist me with the phone number of the OCS.
“Unfortunately, the call didn’t go through as I saved the number incorrectly. Shortly after, the former senior chief called to inform me that the police officers were on their way and had arrived in Kangeta.
“The mob smashed doors and ripped the house’s walls and roof apart. The beddings are strewn about and there is blood everywhere,” said David.
David complained of the lack of service at the Kathelwa police station and demanded that all officers be transferred with immediate effect. He said that he called Hon. Kiringo to inform him of the situation, but he was busy at the time.
