A man suspected to be behind a string of murders targeting young girls and women in Gem, Yala Subcounty, was on Thursday morning lynched by irate members of the public, shortly after his arrest by the police.
The suspect was forcefully taken from the police by the public who overpowered the security officials and given a thorough beating before being set ablaze in Yala town.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested at Kibos area in the neighbouring Kisumu county, following a tip-off from the public.
Yala Subcounty Police Commander, Charles Wafula who confirmed the incident, said the suspect had sought employment as a herdsman in the area in an attempt to blend with the public after evading police dragnet for close to two months.
“Working in coordination with our Kisumu counterparts, we tracked down the suspect and apprehended him last night,” Wafula said, adding that he was immediately transferred to Yala Police Station.
However, the police officers left the Station with the suspect on Thursday morning and was leading them to some of his accomplices, when the public blocked the police vehicle in Yala town, demanding that he be released to them.
Attempts by the officers to take off failed as the swelling crowd threatened to torch the police land Cruiser.
In the melee, the public grabbed the suspect, whom they beat with all sorts of crude weapons before setting his body on fire.
The suspect, aged 40 years, is suspected of orchestrating a series of killings that mainly targeted girls and women.
