Irate Kachibora residents in Cherangany Sub County set ablaze a police vehicle which had been involved in a road accident that claimed four lives. The accident enraged the resident, and they said the police car was overspeeding leading to the fatal accident along the Kachibora-Cherangany road. According to an eyewitness, the car hit a motorcycle, and its rider was ferrying a woman and her two children, all died on the spot. “The motorbike rider was carrying a woman and two school going children and the rider lost control before they were hit by the oncoming speeding police car, which was coming from the opposite direction,” said John Barasa, a resident.
The residents barricaded the road and burnt the car, “The irate crowd ganged up to attack the driver who was in the police car but he managed to escape to a nearby church,” said an eyewitness. County firefighters were called to the scene but they arrived late. Afterwards, police officers were dispatched to contain the situation and they were forced to use tear gas canisters to disperse them.
Speaking to the press at the scene, Trans Nzoia East Deputy County Commissioner Calistus Kendi said that the accident was unfortunate and pleaded with the residents to be calm as police carry out the investigations. He urged them to refrain from taking the law into their hands whenever a situation like that happens. The bodies of the deceased were taken to Kitale County Referral Hospital mortuary.