The four were allegedly celebrating a birthday when they were mistaken for cattle thieves and lynched by angry villagers. [File, Standard]

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers have arrested the prime suspect behind last week’s murder of four men in Kitengela.

According to the DCI, 40-year-old Benson Melonyie ole Mungai was nabbed at his hideout in Kitengela town last evening.

Ole Mungai, who is alleged to have masterminded the killings, will remain in custody to assist with the probe.

“Detectives are in pursuit of the rest of the killers, as Ole Mungai remains in custody to assist us with further investigations,” said the DCI.

Fred Mureithi, 30, his younger brother Victor Mwangi who was celebrating his 25th birthday, and their two cousins Mike George, 29, and Nicholas Musa, 28 were lynched by angry villagers on Sunday, August 8 after allegedly mistaking them for cattle thieves.

Relatives of the four young men killed by villagers in Isinya, Kajiado have demanded justice though the family spokesman Joseph Macharia, an uncle, who has said the four were innocent.

"It's not logical that these young men were on a mission to steal livestock as it is alleged. It's not the first time they had visited the area for fun," said a grieving Macharia.

They had left on Saturday, riding on three sports bikes, and proceeded to Kisaju, an area between Kitengela and Isinya in Kajiado to celebrate a birthday.