Four suspects escaped death by a mob after angry residents descended on them for slaughtering and selling donkey meat.

 Angry villagers of Kaminji village in Mwea-West, Kirinyaga County, apprehended four accused donkey thieves and set fire to one of their cars.

PHOTO | COURTESY the suspects

According to Kirwarwa Sub-location Assistant Chief Zacharia Miano Muchiri, the villagers apprehended four suspected donkey thieves. Still, three of them managed to flee after being captured butchering 30 donkeys near the River Sagana.

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“Some of the suspects were found loading meat in two vehicles; one a pajero and the other one a probox vehicle which was set on fire before we intervened as they wanted to set the pajero vehicle on fire,” the Assistant Chief said.

The cops faced a difficult challenge in keeping the mob from lynching the accused. The crisis was resolved when one of the suspects, known as Ndirangu, claimed that they sold the stolen donkey meat in Nairobi's Bama Market, providing details about their operation in an attempt to spare their lives.

He confessed, "Please don't kill us. We will tell you everything. We sell the donkey meat at Burma Market and pay those who slaughter Ksh 10,000 after the business ends."

James Maina, the Kirwara village in-charge, emphasised the gravity of the act by pointing out that a colt was discovered among the killed donkeys, suggesting that one of the animals was pregnant.

PHOTO | COURTESY Donkeys

Samuel Magu Kariuki, a villager, expressed disbelief at the spectacle, stating how he had prepared to shoot one of the drivers with a bow and arrow before the suspect gave up. "Initially, we detained two individuals and eventually apprehended two more. "We are still looking for the remaining three suspects," Kariuki stated.

Residents have expressed concern about the region's increasing occurrences of cattle theft. Stephen Mwaura Karanja expressed the community's outrage and hoped the incident would stop future robberies.