A man believed to be behind a string of brutal murders that have terrorized residents of Gem Yala in Siaya County was on Thursday lynched by a furious mob after being arrested and handed over to police.
Charles Onyango, infamously known as “Kwa”, was cornered in Kibos area within Kisumu County after residents tipped off the police. The 40-year-old, who had been on the run for nearly two months, had allegedly posed as a herdsman to conceal his identity.
According to Gem Yala Sub-County Police Commander Charles Wafula, Onyango was arrested by officers from Yala in collaboration with their Kisumu counterparts on Wednesday night.
“He was linked to several murders involving women and schoolgirls in the area. His arrest was a significant breakthrough,” said Wafula.
However, the situation quickly spiraled on Thursday morning when a restless crowd gathered outside Yala Police Station demanding his release to them. Under growing pressure, police officers reportedly handed over the suspect to the mob.
In a chilling moment at the Yala boda boda stage, enraged riders and residents descended on Onyango. As his body was set ablaze, chants of “Watieko Kwa!” — a cry for vengeance and closure — echoed through the air, marking a gruesome end to a man many blamed for months of horror.
The incident has sparked renewed debate over mob justice, even as locals express relief that a shadow of fear may have finally lifted.
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