This archive report was first published on 9 June 2020.
On Sunday evening, a 38-year-old man from Igumo in Marimanti, Tharaka Nithi County, slit the throat of his 70-year-old neighbour in a dispute over a chicken that had crossed the fence into the elder man's farm.
The suspect then attempted to hide the body by throwing it into River Thanantu, but on the way, he encountered the deceased's children, forcing him to drop the corpse and run.
However, the suspect was pursued by irate villagers for three kilometres before being caught and given a thorough beating. The villagers then killed him and set his body alight, accusing him of rising crime in the village.
Tharaka South OCPD Kiprop Rutto stated, "Irate villagers pursued the suspect for three kilometres before catching up with him. When they caught him they gave him a thorough beating, killed him and set his body alight. They also blamed him for rising crime in the village."
The villagers accused the suspect of robbing them of a distinguished member of society who was a local chairman of a political party and an outstanding citizen.
Police officers arrived at the scene to find the suspect dead and were unable to establish the identity of the villagers involved in the act of mob justice.
Three villages had converged at the scene to witness the gruesome act.
The suspect was a repeat offender who had previously beaten his father almost killing him and also injured his wife by cutting her with a machete.
According to the police, the attacker had been arrested on several occasions and arraigned in court but later released.
Police took both bodies to Chuka Hospital mortuary.
Residents of Marimanti have called upon security agencies to stem rising crime in the area.
