Mob lynches man after he kills father over sukuma wiki

Mourners gather at the home of Milton Abednego who was killed by his son Lincoln Topi after they quarralled over sukuma wiki vegetables at Emulwala village, Khwisero Constituency, Kakamega County. [Benard Lusigi, Standard]

A sombre mood has engulfed the Emulwala village, Khwisero Constituency, Kakamega County, after irate residents lynched a man who hacked his father to death for quarrelling over sukuma wiki vegetables.

Lincoln Topi,39, who had killed his father, Milton Abednego, 70, on Wednesday evening using a machete after his father caught him red-handed and confronted him for stealing his Sukuma Wiki vegetables, was killed using the same machete he used to kill his father.

According to locals and eyewitnesses, Topi, who has developed a habit of stealing his father's vegetables and exchanging them for Chang'aa and bhang, got angry when his father reprimanded him, snatched a matchete from his father's hand and cut him on the head.

The father of four is said to have died a few minutes after the attack due to excessive bleeding from a deep cut.

Topi fled the scene after committing the act but was captured by angry villagers who lynched him.

"After killing his father, he tried to hide in his house, but when he saw the crowd increasing, he attacked one of the locals using the machete before fleeing, but he was cornered just a few metres from his house, where the angry locals grabbed the panga and lynched him," said Peter Mbaye, a neighbor.

Khwisero OCPD Ezekiel Chepkwony confirmed the incident, urging locals to solve their differences amicably.

Chepkwony said the area is grappling with cases of drugs and illicit brew, but police, in collaboration with chiefs, have mounted an operation to end the vice.

"The area borders, Luanda and Emuhaya constituencies in Vihiga county and some peddlers have been sneaking alcohol and bhang in the area, but we are on top of things and we have kicked off an operation to crack the whip on those doing the business," said Chepkwony.

The bodies of the deceased have been taken to Sonarc Hospital Mortuary in Khwisero, awaiting postmortem.