Police officers in Kiambu county have rescued a 23-year-old man from an angry mob after he was allegedly caught attempting to steal a motorcycle from a residential house in Kirigiti area.

The suspect, identified as John Peter Njuguna, was severely assaulted by residents who descended on him, before officers from Kiambu Police Station intervened and rescued him.

Confirming the incident, Kiambu sub County police Commander Elema Sora said the suspect had broken into a residential building in Kirigiti area.

“It was reported by Lovely Zephy Mwawughanga a Taita male adult aged 22 years, a resident of Kwa Kambi area within Kirigiti in Kiambu sub county that while they were sleeping with his roommate by the name Jewel Mwashighadi in their residential house they heard a sound of a motorcycle being kick started,” Sora reported.

The two residents rushed out to find the suspect aboard the motorbike, attempting to flee.

“They rushed out and stopped a person who was on top of a motorcycle trying to escape with the said motorcycle registration number KMGD 645L make TVS 125 red in colour which belonged to Lovely Zephy,” the sub county commander added.

They raised alarm and a mob baying for Njuguna’s blood rushed to the scene, assaulting him severely before officers from Kiambu police station intervened, taking the man into custody.

He was rushed to Kiambu Level 5 Hospital for treatment, and discharged in stable condition.

Njuguna is expected to be arraigned in court, with the offence of theft.

This incident comes amid growing concerns over mob justice in Kiambu County, where suspected criminals have recently been subjected to attacks by members of the public.

In February this year, Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Interior and National Administration Kipchumba Murkomen revealed that there were at least 845 reported mob justices in the past one year. Of these cases, 579 were fatalities, with 266 injuries.

Murkomen, who tabled the statistics in the Senate, listed leading counties in mob justice cases as; Kiambu (90), followed by Nairobi (85) and Embu (51).

Kiambu County was also leading in the number of fatalities from mob justice at 58 cases, followed by Nairobi (55) and Kisumu (36).

According to the Ministry, the incidents are on the rise because some members of the public perceive investigations and court processes to be slow, ineffective, or biased, a factor fueled by the release of suspects, which prompts communities to take the law into their own hands.

Murkomen said the state is cognizant of this trend and is pushing for the conduct of prompt and thorough investigations to ensure that suspects are arraigned within the prescribed timelines.

“Through structured forums, barazas, Nyumba Kumi meetings, and regular consultative sessions, the Government officials sensitize the public against taking the law into their own hands and encourage the use of established criminal justice mechanisms to address grievances and report offences,” he added.

by Rose Muthoni and Grace Naishoo