A man was brutally killed by his friend at a local bar in Ugenya Sub-county, sparking outrage among the residents who took the law into their own hands.
The victim, identified as Chris Olunga, 32, was drinking with his friend at a liquor joint in Sihayi trading centre on Thursday night when they had a heated argument. The friend, whose name has not been revealed, allegedly stabbed Olunga several times in the chest and fled the scene.
Olunga’s body was discovered on Friday morning by passers-by who alerted the authorities. The Assistant Chief of Ligala sub-location, Chrispine Onyango, confirmed the incident and said that the police had launched a manhunt for the suspect.
However, before the police could arrest the suspect, a mob of angry locals stormed his house in the same village and set it ablaze. They also attacked the Sihayi police post, accusing the officers of being slow to respond to the murder.
The police had to use tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd and restore order. Several people were injured in the clashes and taken to hospital for treatment.
The police have condemned the acts of violence and urged the public to refrain from taking justice into their own hands. They have also appealed for anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect to come forward and cooperate with the investigation.
The body of Olunga has been taken to the mortuary for a post-mortem examination. The motive behind the murder is still unknown.