An irate mob brutally pounced on a 32-year-old man they claimed had a “habit of stealing chicken” and beat him to death when he tried to escape from police custody.
The man, identified as Edward Okoth, is said to have been arrested after residents of Kaura Sub-Location reported their complaints.
It is reported that he had allegedly stolen 14 chicken on Sunday last week.
Villagers found Mr Okoth with the birds as he was trying to sell them at a local market.
He then abandoned the chicken and fled to Sindo town in Suba South.
Concerned residents reported the matter at Ngegu police post which prompted officers to launch a manhunt for the suspect.
Assistant Chief John Owino said the suspect was arrested after police officers in Ngegu liaised with their colleagues in Sindo who found him with some chicken.
After his arrest in Sindo, Mr Okoth is said to have been taken back to Ngegu where his case was being handled.
Witnesses said the man told police that he wanted to respond to a call of nature when they arrived at the station.
“The officers who escorted him were kind enough to allow him to relieve himself but he took advantage of this to escape from police custody,” said the witness.
“He tried jumping over the fence of the police station. He was later cornered by villages who stoned him to death,” Mr Owino said.
Mr Owino told members of the public not to take security matters into their own hands and instead report them to police.
The man’s body was taken to the Homa Bay County Referral Hospital mortuary.