Kiambu:Police officers in Kiambu county intervened to rescue a 23-year-old man from a violent mob after he was allegedly caught trying to steal a motorcycle from a residential area in Kirigiti.
According to Kenya News Agency, the suspect, John Peter Njuguna, was reportedly caught breaking into a residential building in Kirigiti. Kiambu sub County police Commander Elema Sora confirmed that the incident was reported by Lovely Zephy Mwawughanga, a 22-year-old resident, who heard a motorcycle being started while he was sleeping with his roommate, Jewel Mwashighadi. They discovered Njuguna attempting to escape on Mwawughanga’s motorcycle.
The residents sounded an alarm, attracting a mob that severely assaulted Njuguna before police officers from Kiambu Police Station arrived and took him into custody. He was treated at Kiambu Level 5 Hospital and released in stable condition. Njuguna is set to face theft charges in court.
This event highlights growing concerns over mob justice in Kiambu County. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen reported that there have been 845 mob justice incidents in the last year, with Kiambu County leading in both cases and fatalities. The Ministry attributes this trend to public dissatisfaction with the pace and effectiveness of legal processes.
Murkomen stated that the government is working to address this trend through prompt investigations and public education efforts, encouraging citizens to rely on established legal systems rather than taking the law into their own hands.
