Two suspected robbers were killed on Monday afternoon by an enraged mob in Car Wash Estate, Kondele, Kisumu County, following an alleged house break-in.
According to Kisumu Central Deputy Sub-County Police Commander Juma Mwanauli, the slain suspects were part of a five-man gang that had broken into a local residence and made away with several valuables. Members of the public cornered the duo before they could flee and lynched them on the spot. The three other accomplices managed to escape and are currently being pursued by the police.
Confirming the incident, Mwanauli emphasized the dangers of mob justice, noting that it obstructs proper investigations and compromises police efforts to dismantle broader criminal networks.
“We are appealing to members of the public to allow the police to do their work. Killing suspects interferes with investigations and denies us the chance to dismantle broader criminal networks,” he said.
Several stolen items were recovered at the scene, including a black 55-inch LG television set. The bodies of the deceased suspects were transported to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital morgue for identification and postmortem.
The brutal lynching has reopened debate around rising insecurity and the limits of public patience in crime-prone neighborhoods. Local residents claim the area has recently seen an increase in house burglaries and theft, fueling a sense of helplessness and vigilante retaliation.
The police have launched a manhunt for the three remaining suspects as the authorities continue to urge citizens to report suspicious individuals and allow law enforcement to pursue due legal process.
