This archive report was first published on 15 November 2019.
On Wednesday night, a gang attacked the trading centre in Matungu Sub-county, killing two night guards, Michael Opata and Jared Opondo. The victims were attempting to stop the gang from driving away cows they had stolen from a home in Mirere village.
The police said they had also shot and injured a suspected attacker during the incident. One suspected gang member was lynched by an angry mob.
According to the police, the stolen cattle belonged to one Peter Machio, a resident of Mirere. The police have linked the two incidents, believing the man lynched at Butula is a member of the gang that murdered the two watchmen in Matungu.
County police commander Bernard Muli said, 'We have reasons to believe these attacks are being perpetuated by the same criminal gang. They must be the same people who killed the two watchmen.'
Police officers on patrol also quashed an attempted robbery at the same shopping centre in Matungu on the same night, where they shot and injured one suspect.
Yesterday, Muli met shaken residents and assured them of government commitment to ensure their safety and punish the criminals.
Interior CS Fred Matiang'i had visited the area after a similar gang attack earlier this year, which left 18 people dead. He ordered the deployment of the General Service Unit to crash criminal elements.
