Police in Mbita on Tuesday rescued a couple from an angry mob baying for their blood for allegedly burying toys.
Benson Onyango and Beryl Akinyi were attacked after their ‘twin babies’ were found to be toys at Kamsama village in Suba North constituency.
Trouble started during the viewing of the "twins' bodies". The couple had lied to the residents that their twins had died due to birth complications.
Akinyi left home two weeks ago to deliver the twins at Homa Bay County Referral Hospital, according to brother-in-law Wycliffe Ogembo.
Ogembo told journalists yesterday that Akinyi was transferred to Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu allegedly due to complications. "More complications" forced the Aga Khan Hospital to recommend a transfer to Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi.
She returned home on Tuesday morning with "dead bodies".
“The burial was done hurriedly before most residents arrived for the ceremony. The burial arrangements were done contrary to the local culture which requires foetuses to be buried before noon,” Ogembo said.
Yesterday morning, some family members decided to exhume the bodies in the presence of a large crowd. They opened the coffins and found toys inside after which they started whacking the couple.
“You can’t joke with us to that extent. You’re the people who deserve death!” one person shouted.
Police arrived at the nick of time and rescued the couple and took them to Mbita police station.
Homa Bay police commander Esther Seroney said the woman will be taken to hospital to determine whether she had given birth.
“We have confiscated the coffins and the toys for further investigations,” Seroney said.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)
