Three suspects were found dead in a police cell after a mob attacked and torched a police station in Kinangop, Nyandarua County.
Ndunyu Njeru Police Station was torched on Thursday night in a clash over four stock theft suspects who had been detained there.
The clash was between police and locals, police said.
Three of the suspects who had been detained at the station were killed in the drama.
They died in a fire incident at the cells in the chaos that broke out, leaving a trail of destruction.
According to police, the bodies were found after the fire had subsided, while one suspect was rescued and rushed to the hospital in a serious condition.
According to police, about 400 people stormed the station at about 8 pm, demanding to be given four suspects who had been arrested for stock theft within Ndunyu Njeru area.
The mob wanted to subject the four to mob lynching.
The officers resisted and repulsed the group, prompting chaos.
The mob attacked the station with stones and later burned the building, with the four suspects held in the police cell.
This was as the police officers who were present retreated for their safety.
Also burnt were the area chief's office hosted within the building, a police land cruiser, a salon car belonging to the suspects, a police house that accommodates offices including that of the Officer Commanding Station and the crime office.
A container, which is used as an exhibit store was broken into and two motorcycles and an empty fuel drum were stolen.
Four houses belonging to police were vandalised in the chaos.
According to police, in the process, three of the four suspects who were at the station cells died.
One was rescued and taken to the hospital in serious condition.
They were all were confirmed dead in the cell due to the fire, police said.
One police officer was injured in the chaos, police on the ground said.
Police said all firearms at the station were
accounted for, though some are still locked in the still box, which was burned at
the report office.
The rowdy crowd escaped into the darkness
immediately after the arrival of reinforcement from Kipipiri Police Station,
South Kinangop Subcounty and Kinangop Police Station.
The box was
transferred to North Kinangop police station for safe custody.
The three bodies were taken to Engineer
Sub-county mortuary for preservation and postmortem, police said.
This has increased to more than 10 police facilities so far attacked and destroyed since the June 25 protests.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had on Thursday advised police to shoot anyone who tries to attack a police station.
Police said at least five guns were stolen during the chaos at the Dagoretti police post in Kiambu County.
Among the affected were Dagoretti police post,
Juja police station, Villa post police station, Molo police station, Ongata
Rongai police station, Matuu police station, Mai Mahiu police station and Ol Kalou
police station.
Authorities are still counting losses from the June 25 chaos.
