Police launch probe as three lynched, 6 injured over child trafficking claims

The vehicle suspected child traffickers were using goes up in flames. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Police in Kakamega are investigating circumstances under which three people were stoned to death by a mob at Lunza village in Butere on Friday.

The attack left six others with severe injuries and are undergoing treatment at Life Care Hospital in Bungoma.

They were accused of child trafficking before villagers landed on them.

Investigators from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) at Western Regional Headquarters in Kakamega town said they want to establish whether the nine suspects were victims of circumstances or were behind a child trafficking ring in the area.

A vehicle the suspects are said to have been using was set ablaze by irate residents who accused the group of attempting to kidnap a Grade Eight pupil around 5:30 am on Friday.

One of the detectives told The Sunday Standard that eight of the suspects are Somali citizens living in Nairobi's Eastleigh Estate. The group included four women and four men. They were said to have been traveling to Jinja in Uganda through Busia border town.

"We suspect the nine people in question are either human traffickers or victims of circumstances. We are yet to record statements from the parents of the child said to have been the target of the alleged trafficking," he said.

He added: "Eight of the suspects are from Nairobi's Eastleigh Estate and the driver is from Rarieda Constituency in Siaya County. We suspect they have a contact in Butere where cases of child trafficking have been reported before."

The detective said a substantial amount of money and other valuables were stolen from the scene by residents.

Butere sub-county police commander Julius Kiptoo said the suspects are believed to be working with local contacts in a child trafficking syndicate.

Kiptoo said one of the victims was a resident who went to rescue the suspects after residents accused them of attempting to kidnap the pupil and started stoning them. "According to the mother, the girl was on her way to school at 5:30 am when she encountered the suspects. She managed to escape and raised an alarm."