“I woke up quickly after hearing movements and commotion coming from outside my shop,” said Malesi, adding that the gang disappeared when he opened a door to the shop.
The shopkeeper claimed to have nabbed one of the thugs single-handedly. He then screamed for support from the neighbours who attacked the suspect with all manner of crude weapons before lynching him.
Confirming the early morning incident, area assistant chief, Mrs. Diana Owana identified the deceased as Wycliffe Kulakha whom she described as a hardcore criminal.
“The deceased was among a group of hardcore criminals that have terrorized villagers for a long period of time,” reported Owano, who blamed the authorities for freeing him on several occasions. “He has been issuing threats to witnesses against him,” added Owano who cited an incident in which the deceased suspect stabbed and seriously injured a witness to one of his court cases early in September, 2016.
Likuyani location chief, Mr. Charles Banda echoed Owano’s sentiments. Banda alleged the deceased was among a group of robbers that was involved in several theft incidents at Lumino and Roberts villages recently.
“Besides petty theft incidents, the gang violently robbed a boda boda operator on Sunday night,” claimed Banda, revealing enraged area residents stormed Kulakha’s home where they razed down three houses.
However, the two administrators cautioned the locals against taking the law into their hands and instead urged them to always report criminal or suspected criminal incidents to security organs.
