Shock as angry mourners lynch six people at slain businessman’s funeral
Angry mourners attacked and lynched six people at the funeral of a prominent businessman in Masebula village, Busia County, on Friday night in an incident that has shocked the region.
The six, said to have been among a group of 10 men hired as “bouncers”, had turned up at the funeral of Mr Johanes Okoth, who was shot dead two weeks ago by unknown assailants.
STRANGERS
An angry mob of boda boda riders is said to have pounced on the six “suspicious” mourners, who were dressed in black, when they failed to identify themselves, with locals saying they were not known in the area.
Mourners accused them of being behind the murder of the businessman.
“Ten people dressed in black suits were in the funeral procession from the Sega Mission Hospital mortuary, where we had gone to collect the remains of my brother,” narrated Ms Roselyne Aduol, a sister of the late businessman.
“When we arrived home, we asked them to introduce themselves because they were strangers,”
“They refused to introduce themselves and that provoked villagers, who landed on them with clubs. Four of the strangers managed to escape,” she added.
It was later discovered that the 10 were bouncers from Kisumu and had been hired by a close relative of the slain businessman.
Busia County police Commander Jacob Narengo said that information gathered by police indicated that locals suspected mischief when one of the men was spotted walking around with a black bag.
BLACK BAG
“Locals who have recorded statements at the (Busia) police station said that the black bag contained a whip and three knives when it was searched. That is when the mourners descended on them, on suspicion that they were involved in the murder of the businessman,” said Mr Narengo, who condemned the killings.
“It is wrong for anyone to take the law into their own hands. They should have reported the matter to police. We will zero in on the masterminds of the killings as soon as the burial is over,” he said.
The six bodies were taken to the Busia County Hospital mortuary while police were deployed to the slain businessman’s home.
Western region police Commander Edward Mwamburi said police were investigating the matter.
“We will ensure that those linked to the killings are arrested and charged in court.”
The businessman was shot by three assailants in his house at Masabule village on November 1.
His body was collected from Sega mortuary on Friday for public viewing and the burial was held on Saturday.
Mr Mwamburi appealed to the public not to take the law into their own hands and urged them to report any suspicious incidents and persons to the police.