On Thursday, a dramatic scene unfolded in Tinderet, Nandi County, as thousands of furious residents stormed the Chemase Police Post. They freed a murder suspect, then stoned him to death and burned his body.
The suspect, Victor Kimutai, 30, was linked to the gruesome murder of a 38-year-old man, whose dismembered body was discovered.
Tinderet Police Commander Johnson Mwariga reported that the suspect admitted to the crime and led officers to where he had hidden the victim’s head and other remains.
This revelation sparked outrage among over 3,000 locals, who demanded the suspect’s release. When police refused, the crowd went wild, setting a police vehicle on fire and overpowering the officers to reach the suspect in his cell.
After rescuing him, they killed him with stones and burned his body before scattering in different directions, according to a police report.
The National Police Service (NPS) condemned the violence, urging the public not to take the law into their own hands.
NPS Spokesperson Dr. Resila Onyango stated, “We ask the public to allow the law to take its course after an arrest. The destruction of police property, like the vehicle burned at Chemase, only hinders our ability to serve the community. We encourage cooperation with police to improve local security.”
