Man lynched in Sipili for stealing maize

By David Kiarie

A youthful man was on Friday night lynched by an angry mob from Karungubii village in Sipili location after he was caught stealing maize from a neighbour.

Villages troop to a scene at Karungubii in Sipili to view charred remains
of a thug who was touched for stealing maize.

The man who was only identified as Peter was beaten senseless by the irate villagers before setting him on fire less than 500 metres from his home.

Eyewitnesses told Laikipia Rural Voices that the man in his mid 30s was caught carrying a bag of maize which he had hid in a thicket earlier in the day.

According to a neighbour, Charles Gitau, the man had stolen five bags of unthreshed maize from a store belonging to Maina Kahu earlier in the day and hid the bags in a bushy area a few meters from Kihu’s homestead where he would pick them latter under the cover of darkness.

When night fell, the deceased went for his loot. But unknown to him, the owner of the maize and several other villagers had discovered the stolen bags of maize and decided to leave them untouched and instead wait for whoever would come to pick them.

At around 11.00 pm, the thug emerged from the bush and went ahead to collect the bags of maize. But barely before he would move about ten metres, the irate villagers who were armed to the teeth descended on him beating him senseless before setting him on fire.

When we visited the scene yesterday morning, tens of villagers were milling at the area to catch a glimpse of the remains of the thug whom they said has been terrorizing them for years.

Kahu said the thug could have stolen more maize saying he had noted that the level of his maize in the store was reducing although he had not known who was responsible.

Another resident Lucy Kihara said she lost more than a dozen bags of maize, some beans and maize flour which she had kept in her store to the village thieves.

“Thugs raided my home twice in less than a month when I had taken my child to a nearby clinic and swept all the food that I had stored. I do not even know what I will feed my children on,” said the mother of four.

The deceased is said to be a criminal who has served over one year in jail after he was convicted of stealing a neigbours cow.

The residents say a week hardly passes before a theft case is reported in the village and vowed to clean up the village by apprehending all people with wanting character.