Police are investigating the brutal mob lynching of three individuals in Butere, Kakamega County, after a tragic case of mistaken identity on July 5.
The incident occurred when a group traveling to Uganda accidentally entered a village plagued by recent child trafficking scares, sparking a violent reaction from locals.
According to a certain media, Butere Sub-county Police Commander Julius Kipkorir confirmed that the three victims, who were part of a larger group, were mistaken for child traffickers due to rising fears in the community.
“The case is that of mistaken identity. The suspects were victims. The matter is still under investigation,” Kipkorir stated.
The group was traveling to Kampala for DNA tests as part of their preparations to travel abroad when their driver mistakenly took a wrong turn into the suspicious village. This error proved fatal, as an irate mob, fueled by recent child abductions, attacked them with machetes, sticks, knives, and stones.
Yusuf Abdirahman, one of the survivors, recounted the harrowing experience from his hospital bed.
“They beat us with machetes, big sticks, sharp knives, and stones. When the police arrived, they were asked to stop but they kept fighting and throwing stones at us,” he said.
The tragic event was triggered when two local boys, aged 14, saw the group’s car and mistakenly believed it to be the one involved in recent kidnappings. Their alarm led to a swift mob response, resulting in the death of three individuals and the torching of their vehicle.
Six others, including two men and a woman, were seriously injured and rushed to Butere Sub County Hospital in critical condition.
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