This archive report was first published on 26 October 2019.
On October 26, 2019, a shocking incident occurred at a funeral in Homa Bay County, Kenya, where a pastor was attacked and lynched by boda boda riders.
The pastor, Samson Ongei, was presiding over the burial ceremony of a female member of his church at Sero Village, Kalanya Kanyango Location in Ndhiwa sub-county when the rowdy riders struck.
According to eyewitness Philip, the mourners initially thought the mob was joining them in the sendoff, but instead, they seized the pastor, cutting short the sermon.
The boda boda riders insisted that Ongei was a wanted man in connection with a spate of robberies, where riders had been targeted.
They claimed he was part of a gang that had recently robbed one of their colleagues.
Philip described the scene as chaotic, with the mob raining kicks and blows on the man of God.
Ongei was forced to sit on a bike and taken to his house in Ojunge village a few kilometres away, where he was locked in and the house was set ablaze.
Kalanya Kanyango Chief, Fredrick Onyango, confirmed the incident and warned locals against taking the law into their own hands.
"I urge residents to avoid taking the law in their hands. They should report crime suspects to security officials," said Onyango.
