Boda boda riders chase police, kill suspect

Onlookers view the body of a man who was beaten to death and his body set ablaze on suspicion that he had stolen a motorcycle in Kimbuthi, Embu County on January 27, 2018. A suspected motorcycle thief was burnt in Meru County on February 26, 2018. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

More than 300 boda boda riders from Murang’a County rode to Meru County on Monday where they arrested a suspected motorcycle thief, lynched him and beat up policemen.

In a show of impunity, police officers, who had been attracted by hooting from the motorcycles and tried to rescue the suspect, were pelted with stones forcing them to flee.

CLASH

The officers tried lobbing teargas canisters and shooting in the air in vain. The riders smashed the police van’s windows injuring two officers. Journalists were also repulsed.

After the police fled, the riders stoned the suspect to death and burnt him.

They said police have turned a blind eye to the rampant theft cases and that is why they lynched the suspect.

A rider, who sought anonymity, said every week a motorcycle is stolen and is never recovered despite cooperating with the security agents.

“Following the police’s refusal to bring the culprits to book, we decided to trace those who stole the motorcycle without their (police) knowledge,” he said.

ATTACK

On Saturday, he said, the thieves attacked a rider using a kitchen knife but he was able to escape though with serious injuries.

Luckily, he identified one of the suspects and his colleagues decided to storm his rental house Sunday morning and found his roommate who disclosed the whereabouts of the three suspects.

They then decided to pursue the suspects.

He said they found two suspects with the motorcycle waiting for the customers and ordered them to board the matatu but they resisted.

“Drama ensued when their boda boda counterparts tried to block us from arresting the suspects. One escaped but we arrested the other,” said the rider.

Murang’a East Deputy County Commissioner Kepha Marube condemned the act and said owners of the matatus that went to Meru with the occupants and those who took part in mob justice will be arrested and charged.

“It is a pretext that police are not helping the complainants. They would have visited my office and not going to Meru without notifying the security agents.

“This is not a banana republic where people can injure the police break their vehicle and get away with it,’ he said.