Police in Kiminini Sub-County have urged members of the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands after a man suspected of stealing a motorcycle was killed and his body burned at the Kitale Showground in Trans Nzoia County.
Kiminini OCPD Stephen Mwaniki confirmed that police had received reports that the man had been pursued from Kimilili in Bungoma County after allegedly being found with a stolen motorcycle.
“It’s true we have received reports that one person has been found at around the Kitale showground in Kitale, with members of the public saying he is a thief who had stolen a motorbike,” Mwaniki said.
According to Mwaniki, members of the public followed the suspect from Kimilili before catching up with him at Kitale Showground.
“The public followed him from Kimilili, which is in the Bungoma area, and it’s true they caught him with a motorbike that had been stolen. It’s very unfortunate they didn’t hand him over to the police but decided to kill him around the showground,” he said.
Mwaniki confirmed that the suspect was killed and his body subsequently burned.
“Our officers have already reached the scene and taken the body to the mortuary at Wamalwa Kijana Hospital,” he stated.
The police boss appealed to members of the public to hand over suspected criminals to law enforcement officers instead of administering punishment themselves.
“It’s good that the public should hand over suspected thieves to police so that police can be able to investigate and report if the suspect has committed a crime,” Mwaniki said.
He warned that killing suspects denies investigators an opportunity to establish the full circumstances of a crime and determine whether other people could have been involved.
“It’s my prayer that the public should not kill and burn suspects because it won’t help. Take for instance, he had other people,” Mwaniki said, suggesting that the deceased could have provided information that would have helped police pursue other suspects.
The incident comes amid continued efforts by police and motorcycle operators to tackle motorcycle theft in the region.
Mwaniki said collaboration between police and boda boda leaders across Trans Nzoia County had contributed to a reduction in cases of motorcycle theft.
“We have reduced cases of motorbike theft because we are working together with Boda-boda chairmen across the county. We are cooperating together to reduce crime,” Mwaniki stated.
Police are continuing with investigations into the circumstances surrounding the killing, while the reported motorcycle theft is also expected to be investigated through the appropriate legal channels.
The incident has renewed calls for members of the public to report suspected criminal activity to police and allow suspects to face due process rather than resorting to mob justice.
By Oscar Nalyanya and Sandra Omondi
