A bizarre murder incident sparked off chaos in Nandi County, leading to the destruction of a police station and the burning of the national and police flags.
Three police officers were injured while police tools of trade — including radios, occurrence book, computers and printers— were destroyed on Thursday when a mob descended on Chemase Police Post in Tinderet Constituency.
A police vehicle was also touched by the irate residents baying for the blood of the murder suspect, according to a police report.
The chaos followed the arrest of a suspect who is alleged to have admitted beheading a man and dumping his head into a pit latrine.
"The area Member of the County Assembly Douglas Martin Balala of Chemase Ward, in the company of police officers from Kapsingilar Police Post, managed to arrest the suspect, Victor Kimtai, aged 30 years, before taking him to Chemase Police Post on January 2," the police report states.
"Around 11:39 pm, the suspect had threatened his mother and family members that he would kill them the way he had beheaded someone. This prompted them to inform the area MCA who initiated the arrest promptly,” added the police report.
The suspect, who allegedly admitted to beheading a man and throwing his head into a pit latrine at Chebusiasbarea on New Year's Day, was interrogated and booked into the police cells awaiting transfer to Potopoto Police Station.
Police officers attempted to retrieve the head from the pit latrine but suspended the exercise as it was dark and the facility was full of water.
A generator was taken to the site on Thursday and used to empty the pit latrine leading to retrieval of a human head.
As word spread around the area, more than 3,000 residents gathered at Chemase Police Post, baying for the blood of the suspect. They turned wild and stormed the station.
In the confusion, they overpowered police officers and three of them were injured before torching a government vehicle and shattering all the glass windows at the station.
"They lowered the police station flag and the national flag and burnt them down," the police report stated.
"A VHF radio set, a monitor printer, a computer printer, a computer processing unit, occurrence book, station files and one wooden table and chair were stolen.”
During the incident, police said, three officers were injured — Corporal Ezekiel Too, Constable Gilbert Ndirangu and Constable Isaac Wekesa.
"During the incident, no civilian was injured. The officers tried to disperse the irate crowd in vain. Investigation and operation to arrest the suspects are on top gear," the police report further stated.
Dr Resila Onyango, the police spokesperson, separately confirmed the attack at the station and called for calm.
"Following the attack at the Chemase Police Post, we are appealing to the members of the public to refrain from taking the law in their hands and let the law take its cause once a suspect has been arrested," she said.
"In the spirit of community policing, we urge the members of the public to cooperate with police to enhance security within our areas," Dr Onyango said.
