Villagers lynch two brothers, accuse them of killings and robberies

A crowd watches as bodies of two brothers go up in smoke after they were lynched at Nyangweso market in Homa Bay County on July 1, 2016. Villagers accused them of involving in a series of robberies and murders in the area. The mob also burnt down houses belonging to the suspects' parents. They also killed 8 of their cows and two sheep.

Two suspected robbers were lynched by a mob at a village in Homa Bay yesterday.

Locals claim the two brothers Evance Ouma, 25, and Daniel Ojijo, 30, were involved in killings and armed robberies in Nyanweso village.

Police had to shoot in the air to disperse the crowds and rescue members of Ouma and Ojijo’s family after villagers accused them of being complicit in the robberies. The family took refuge at the local police station.

The family’s livestock was not spared as the angry mob butchered eight cows and two sheep. The homestead was also burned down.

Eight houses were razed to the ground in the early morning incident.

The two brothers were suspected to be members of a gang that was behind a series of robberies and murders in the area.

“I was not present when they were being lynched but what I know is that people have not been sleeping in our village because of these young men. They have stolen people’s property and if you resist, they kill you on the spot,” said an eye witness who sought anonymity.

The lynching of the two brothers was sparked off by the death of an officer of the Rangwe National Government Constituency Development Fund three weeks ago. According to locals, the two brothers were behind the murder but threatened to kill anybody who linked them with this attack.

Yesterday, residents raided their home a few kilometres from Nyangweso Trading Centre and attacked them with clubs, pangas and other blunt objects. The lifeless bodies were then dragged to the trading centre where they were burnt using tires and firewood.

The residents say because traders feared attacks from the suspected robbers they often had to close their shops before dusk.

“Women had to leave Nyangweso market as early as 5.30pm mainly because of these young men. We must do away with you today,” shouted an enraged villager.

The mob vowed to kill all 15 people in the home because they were using sorcery to free those who had been arraigned in court over murder and robberies.

Homa Bay Officer Commanding Police Division Esau Ochorokodi said they had to shoot in the air to save the family.

“We have rescued seven children and six adults, including the suspects’ father. We have offered them refuge at the police station because the mob wanted to lynch them,” said Ochorokodi.

The police boss warned villager against taking the law into their hands. The bodies of the deceased were taken to Homa Bay Hospital mortuary.