Family demands justice for kin lynched by mob
Lucy Were, a family member, holds photos of Samuel Odemba, 26, and his cousin Kennedy Onyango, 24, who were lynched by boda boda operators on claims that they had stolen a motorcycle in Anwarali, Mtopanga. The family is now crying for justice. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
A family in Kongowea, Mombasa County is pleading for justice after two of their kin were lynched by a mob in a mistaken identity incident.
Samuel Odemba, 26, and his cousin Kennedy Onyango, 24, were beaten and burnt alive after a boda boda rider mistakenly identified them as thieves in Mtopanga.
The two victims were allegedly drunk and had left a nearby entertainment joint when they picked a wrong motorbike by mistake and left theirs parked outside the bar.
Bernard Omondi, Odemba’s brother said he received a call late Sunday night informing him that his brother was being attacked by a mob.
Mr Omondi alerted the police who arrived at the scene within 10 minutes.
He said the two cousins used to spend a lot of time together.
“My brother and cousin were well known by many people in the area, I don’t know why they never got a chance to be heard,” he said.
He added that the two produced their identity cards but the mob was ruthless.
The two had been drinking at a local bar, and went for a motorcycle said to have been parked next to theirs when they were done. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
He said Odeba completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Nairobi, Mombasa Campus in August and was planning to graduate in December.
During an interview with Nation, the family urged the government to reign on mobs taking the law into their hands as they seek justice for their kin.
