Suspected child killer Masten Wanjala lynched by mob

Masten Wanjala. [Courtesy]

Police in Bungoma have confirmed that a man lynched by a mob at Mukhweya village this morning is self-confessed serial child killer Masten Milimu Wanjala.

“He was strangled by neighbours who learnt of his presence at his parents’ home,” an eyewitness told The Standard.

According to Bungoma County Police Commander Musyoki Mutungi, the suspect managed to sneak into his parents’ home but suspicious villagers noticed him.

“He arrived at his parents’ home last night but he was spotted by neighbours. After sensing danger, Wanjala opted to move into a nearby house,” said Mutungi.

Mutungi said the suspect was flushed out of the home where he had gone to take cover and lynched at around 7.00am today.

“We are not sure how he managed to travel all the way from Nairobi to his rural home.  It is the curious villagers who first identified him and went ahead to kill him even before the police could be informed,” said the police boss.

“So far the body is still at the scene and we have deployed security agents all over the place,” Mutungi told The Standard on phone.

Wanjala, 20, escaped from Jogoo Road Police Station, Nairobi in unclear circumstances on Tuesday, October 12.

He was expected at the Makadara Law Courts on Wednesday, October 13.

Police signal had been circulated asking officers in the capital city and its neighbouring counties to be on high alert.

Wanjala had been accused of killing at least ten children between 2019 and 2021.

He had taken police to at least ten murder scenes, including Nairobi (5), Kajiado (2), Machakos (2) and Bungoma (1).

In his confessions to police, the suspect allegedly admitted to killing the children after disguising himself as a football coach.

Wanjala was arrested in Kajiado in mid-July, 2021 by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives.