Suspected chicken thief beaten to death in Kirinyaga

A suspected chicken thief has been lynched at Diambo Estate in Ngurubani town in Mwea-East, Kirinyaga County.

The suspect later succumbed to the injuries one hour before police arrived.

"The residents ran away, suspecting he had died, beating him from the corner of Diambo to here in the riverside," the village in-charge Anthony Mwangi said.

Following the suspect's death, residents found several stolen chickens that were brought immediately after police arrived.

"The suspect is part of a gang that has been terrorizing locals at night, and that is why angry members of the public cornered him," Peter Maina said.

Diambo residents also noted that this was the second time the suspect escaped death narrowly after a similar incident last week at Red Soil along the Mwea-Embu highway.

"I helped him from an angry mob who wanted to kill him at around 2 a.m. last week after breaking into a local school, but today he was not lucky," Peter Wanjohi from Red Soil village said.

Mwea-East sub-county police commander Mohammed Jarso confirmed the incident saying the deceased was a well-known criminal who had been arrested severally.

"He was under probation after being arrested over several theft cases in the town, but we are urging locals to report cases to the authorities instead of taking the law into their own hands," the police boss said.