•No property was destroyed during the incident.
•The body was moved to Rachuonyo South subcounty hospital mortuary.
@robertomollo3
A 45-year-old farmhand was on Monday lynched and his body burnt in Kabondo Kasipul constituency, Homa Bay county, over land disputes.
Boniface Orwa was killed by angry villagers who accused him of extending the land boundaries of the farm he managed.
Neighbours had warned Orwa against engaging in land disputes by unlawfully increasing the farm size and encroaching on other people’s parcels.
“The deceased had been engaged in protracted squabbles with the people whose lands surround the farm bought by his employer. Neighbours had raised complaints and reported to the chief,” a villager said.
Speaking to the Star, a resident who sought anonymity asked people buying land in the area to avoid greed.
“It is wrong to take the law into your own hands and kill but those who buy land should relate well with others and avoid land grabbing,” the resident said.
Village elder Joshua Otieno said several complaints against the deceased had been raised.
Otieno said Orwa was arrogant and violent to neighbours.
“Orwa had on a different occasion attempted to attack the area assistant chief who had gone to hold a ceasefire meeting over the land issue,” he said.
No property was destroyed during the incident.
Police are looking for the ringleaders of the mob who escaped after the incident.
Otieno said Orwa’s bad blood with residents had been exacerbated by his unbecoming behaviours.
“He had developed a habit of boarding boda boda without paying,” he said.
The body was moved to Rachuonyo South Subcounty Hospital mortuary.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris