Two brothers suspected of engaging in criminal activities in Lugari Sub County were on Monday evening lynched and their houses torched by an angry mob after being linked to the murder of a bodaboda rider on Sunday night before escaping with his motorbike.
The body of 23-year-old Timothy Kigame who was brutally murdered was found dumped in one of the resident’s compound in Kewa, Marakusi village.
The body was discovered by Mr. Luka Juma who was passing near the deserted compound at about 6:30 am on Monday. “My brother and I were on our way back home with our oxen after ploughing a resident’s farm in the neighbouring village. On reaching this place I saw a helmet few meters from this house, I became concerned because nobody lives in this compound and after I moved closer I was shocked to find the body lying next to the helmet,” explained Juma who later informed neighbours and security officers.
According to deceased’s sister-in-law Susan Maleya, the late arrived home at about 7:30 pm on Sunday but left a few minutes later saying he was going to pick an undisclosed friend whom he said had called him and would return in a while.
She said her brother-in-law didn’t return as he had promised and efforts to get him through his cell phone were futile as it went unanswered until finally it couldn’t be reached.
The mother, Gladys Mmbone, said she didn’t know that her son hadn’t spent the night at home until when her neighbour asked to tell him to pick a relative who was heading for a funeral in Tongaren in the neighbouring Bungoma county.
“I tried calling his phone but it was off. When I was preparing to go to his house, I heard cries outside and was told he had been murdered,” explained the mother.
Confirming the incident, Lugari OCPD Benedict Mwangangi said the deceased was found tied with ropes on the hands and neck while his legs had been tied together using a shirt and his mouth rapped using a sellotape.
According to the police boss it is suspected he was killed elsewhere before his body was dumped there, “There’s no indication that the murder was done at the scene where the body was found,” he said.
He said the robbers escaped with a motorbike Reg. KMEJ 512Q TVS star which was being used by the deceased. Police officers from Lumakanda removed the body to Webuye Sub County Hospital mortuary as an investigation into the incident was launched.
However, bodaboda operators and residents launched a manhunt for some individuals they suspected to have been involved in the murder before catching up with the two brothers David Wamalwa Nyongesa, 27, and Bernard Nyogesa alias ‘Makaa’, 24, who were relaxing in one of the bars at Panpaper market in the evening and attacked them.
When pressured by the angry residents, the brothers allegedly agreed that they were involved in the murder of Timothy Kigame.
The mob then descended on them with all manner of crude weapons killing them on the spot in the middle of the Panpaper–Turbo road and tried to burn their bodies and an old motorbike they were using.
Later the angry mob stormed the suspect’s homestead in the outskirt of Panpaper market and torched four houses after property worth thousands of shillings believed to have been stolen was found hidden in the houses.
The residents claimed the two brothers were jailbirds who were causing them sleepless nights whenever they got out of jail.
They said that the two had recently been released after completing their jail term adding that there is also their two other elder brothers who have been imprisoned for life in connection with robbery with violence cases.
Their bodies were removed by police and taken to Chebaiywa mortuary in the neighbouring Uasin Gishu County. Speaking at the scene of the incident, Lugari deputy County commissioner Agnes Karoki Shadrack and area OCPD Benedict Mwangangi warned the residents against taking the law into their hands asking them to hand all suspects to police for a legal procedure to be taken.
