Why Yatta residents want police to intensify night patrols

A local leader in Yatta sub-County has warned locals against killing suspected thieves, saying that they risk long jail terms.

Mr Peter Muli's call came after residents of Kamuu village lynched a suspect of scrap metal theft on Tuesday night.

They claimed that they got him carrying stolen metals and burnt him beyond recognition, before police officers arrived at the scene.

Mr Muli who is also a retired lawyer, said killing suspects is unacceptable and urged public to desist from taking the law into their own hands.

“I am warning locals against taking the law into their own hands because any culprit found will be arrested and prosecuted. I appeal to them to volunteer information to relevant authorities when they feel aggrieved,” he said on Wednesday.

Yatta has been in the news over insecurity issues.

Two week ago, another man suspected to be a criminal was lynched by an angry mob.

On Saturday last week, residents of Matuu town called upon the new Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to know that “his officers down here have forgotten their duty to keep law and order, and are busy harassing innocent citizens as criminal gangs terrorise the residents”.

The residents also petitioned the IG to transfer some of the officers who have 'overstayed’ in the stations in the sub-County.

"There are some officers who have served here for too long and have become part of the problem in the area as locals can no longer trust them,” they said in a statement read by their leader Paul Kamau.

Contacted, Machakos County Commissioner Josephine Ouko declined to comment, saying that she was in a meeting.