Kirinyaga student lynched after killing his uncle over witchcraft claims

A secondary school student in Kirinyaga County was lynched by a mob on Friday night on the accusation of hacking his uncle to death following a domestic dispute.

Reports indicated that Francis Mwaniki, a 20-year-old Form Four learner, went berserk earlier that night and fatally attacked his 45-year-old uncle, Samuel Chomba.

Witnesses, who claimed Mwaniki was under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident, said he confronted his uncle accusing him of being a witch.

A bitter exchange of words followed before the student took a panga and struck Chomba repeatedly on the head, sending him sprawling. The man died at the scene of the attack in Mugambaciura village.

Angry residents cornered the student as he fled and stoned him to death.

Resident Peterson Mugambi narrated how he tried in vain to restrain the learner from killing his uncle.

"The student appeared intoxicated and was very hostile when I tried to block him from slashing his uncle. He was determined to eliminate him," he said.

Shock

The family said they were still reeling from the shock of the incidents.

"We never thought the student could commit such a serious crime,” said one named Nancy Wakuthii.

Ms Wakuthii said she and other family members screamed for help as Mwaniki attacked his uncle, drawing attention.

"Residents arrived shortly after only to find Chomba lying in a pool of blood. They pursued the student and lynched him," she said.

One Michael Chomba said, “Prior to the incident, Mwaniki was behaving in a strange manner. It is likely he was taking hard drugs.”

He added, “He  often accused his uncle of practising witchcraft. We wondered how he knew about it yet he was a young man in school.”

Murinduko Chief Joseph Kariuki described the incident as the worst ever in the area in the recent past.

The bodies were taken to Embu County Referral Hospital mortuary.