Three Lynched after robbing Lodwar hotelier at gunpoint

Turkana, Thursday, May 18, 2023

KNA by Peter Gitonga

Three suspected gangsters were lynched in Lodwar town after their attempts to flee from a hotel they had robbed the owner at gunpoint flopped.

Irate members of the public who responded to distress call moments after the three gang members were cornered and apprehended by police overpowered the officers and lynched the suspects before they transported to the station from the scene of crime.

Preliminary reports into the incident that the gang with an AK -47 assault rifles on Wednesday night ambushed and robbed a Lodwar businessman at gunpoint and made away with at least Sh. 20,000.

The gunmen reportedly raided the restaurant at around 10:15 pm before firing several rounds of ammunition at the counter to force the owner to open a cash box.

Mr Peter Muriithi, the owner of Seasons Hotel within Lodwar town said the robbers fired two rounds to coerce him to surrender and opened the cash box. 

According to the sub county police boss Lemmy Njeru, they robbed of approximately Sh. 20,000 but in their attempts to escape hit a snag after the motorbike they were using developed a mechanical problem.

Bodaboda riders of the adjacent stage who were alert started screaming for help. 

They robbers tried to fire one round in air to scare them away but their firearm developed a stoppage. Members of the public managed to arrest them.

"Police officers from this command and DCI Turkana central rushed to the scene and managed to recover an AK-47 assault rifle with no serial number and a magazine loaded with 9 rounds of 7.62mm special," he said. 

Furious members of the public overpowered police and lynched the three suspects.  At the scene, three bullet heads, three spent cartridges and one live bullet of 7.62mm special were recovered.

During the process of making safety to the firearm, two live bullets of 7.62mm special were recovered from the chamber.

Also a numberless motorcycle suspected to be used by the suspects of make Honda, red in colour and chassis number BF0JA3092HS208144 was recovered and a national identity card bearing names Losike Ngibeyo Erukudi and number 31702070, Division Turkwel, Location Nadapal and Sub- location Napeikar was recovered from one of the suspect's Pocket.

No cash was recovered at the scene after it was processed and documented accordingly. The exhibit has been booked and detained in police custody as they wait for ballistic actions as the three bodies were taken to Lodwar county referral hospital morgue awaiting autopsy and Identification.

 Courtesy; K.N.A