“Rose Wambui Kamau produced a police report in which she had filed at a police station in Embu on Saturday. This is after the person who he had hired the vehicle to failed to return it on Friday, which was the agreed day,” Kitavi said.
“The person in question was Joseph Kamau Igathu whom we highly suspect was the driver of the vehicle by the time the incident occurred.”
Kitavi further cautioned the public against taking the law into their own hands and instead report crime related matters to the authorities.
His sentiments were supported by chief Elias Kiura who said mob justice is not the legally approved way of dealing with suspects, as they too have a right to defend themselves before a court of law.
“We have warned people against taking such illegal measures as they make the case even more complex .We are now unable to obtain more information from them because they are dead,” he said.
The bodies were transferred to Kerugoya hospital mortuary pending autopsy to ascertain their identities.
The residents who were consumed by rage warned other suspects who might be plotting to steal their livestock, to rethink their plan lest they regret their actions.
They said for the longest, they have had to bear the pain and financial setback of losing their livestock, a crime they say has now gone out of hand.
“We acted on a tip off, which we received, over last night’s theft. We decided to pursue the suspects until we cornered them and taught them a lesson. This was their fortieth day,” a resident said.
Another villager whose cow was stolen said she was able to identify the head of her missing cow from among the carcasses that were being ferried.
