Residents of Maili Saba Market in Trans Nzoia West District attempting to have a look at the suspected thief who was saved by police after being stoned and burned by the irate mob. [PHOTO | Leonard Wamalwa | West Fm]

A suspected thief said to have been involved in the theft of a motorbike a few days ago at Maili Saba Market in Trans Nzoia West District is nursing serious injuries and internal burns at a Kitale hospital after he was beaten and burned by an angry mob that left him for dead on Wednesday.

Residents who spoke to journalists at the scene said that the man known as Kennedy Imende had been cornered by irate motorcyclists who linked him with the theft of the motorbike and later revealed to them that he was part of the deal where they sold the bike at Kshs 36,000 in which he had a share of Kshs 15,000.

"When the motorbike got lost this man told the loser that he give him Kshs 5000 for him to show him where his motorbike was and thus he was given Kshs 800 but he just drunk it all till we arrested him and compelled him to show us and thus in the long run revealed that he was part of the people who sold the bike," said one of the operators.

They said that the area has had rampant thefts of motorbikes with escalating security situation which the security officers were accused of lacking commitment to ensure improvement.

The officers from the Maili Saba AP Post had concentrated too much on arresting beer brewers or collecting money on a daily or weekly basis from the brewers in the areas around that place.

"Any time we get a problem and seek or call for assistance from the officers here at Maili Saba, we always find them drunk and thus end up offering no help because most of the time they are busy collecting money from the brewers in Machungwa, Wekhoya, Bikeke among other areas without looking after the security of the area,” the crowd shouted.

They have appealed for an overhaul of the officers at the post in Maili Saba to bring in new AP officers and also put up a police post at Amagoro area to enhance security.

Elsewhere at Matisi residents too complained of harassment by Matisi police under the new Officer Commanding Station -OCS whom they said arrests them for no reason, but does not take them to court instead he solicits for bribes from them.

"That police officer when he comes he does not want little money, even if you give him Kshs 500 he does not want but wants Kshs 5000 and above and he cannot take you to court. He either wants the money on the way to the station or he keeps you at the station until the money has been raised before you are released," said one of the residents.

They claimed that officers at the station just like those at Maili Saba concentrate on hunting beer brewers while the security situation escalates with criminals continuing to harass them. They have called for an immediate transfer of the OCS.

The OCS is said to conduct operations from house to house on a daily basis using his personal vehicle whereby he ensures each house parts with the standard Kshs 5000 through his Kangaroo or makeshift courts along the operations.

Suspected thief nursing arrow injuries at the Moi referral Hospital

In Eldoret, a man is nursing serious injuries at the Moi Referral Hospital in Eldoret after he was pierced with an arrow at the back in a foiled theft attempt.

It is alleged that the man in company of other suspected three robbers who managed to escape had   intended to rob in Uplands area within Malaba town when their deal was thwarted by occupants who ambushed them as they tried to take off managing to stab him at the back rendering him helpless.

Teso Deputy OCPD Francis Wahome revealed that the suspect crawled and surrendered himself to the police station claiming that he had been attacked on his way from Uganda.

Mr. Wahome however, said that police have established that he was among the four suspects who attempted to steal, but was stabbed as others managed to escape safely.

“The suspect was badly pierced at the back and nurses in Kocholiya and Bungoma could only administer him first aid and transferred him to Eldoret for special treatment and operation,” explained Wahome.