Siaya: Suspected Cattle Thieves Escape Death as Residents Torch Lorry Linked to Theft
- Residents of Usire sub-location in Bondo sub-county ambushed suspected cattle thieves after they stole seven cows, forcing the thieves to flee and leaving behind a driver, Amos Odhiambo
- They assaulted Odhiambo before he was taken into police custody as the main suspect in a regional cattle theft syndicate
- Moreover, the enraged residents set the lorry on fire, after recovering the stolen livestock, with police intervening later
- Frank Owino, a resident, expressed frustration over rising insecurity in the area, criticising the delayed police response to the thefts and calling for government intervention
Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.
Siaya - Residents of Usire sub-location in Bondo sub-county took matters into their own hands after cattle thieves stole seven cows from different homesteads, causing unrest in the area.
Source: Twitter
The theft occurred early in the morning of Tuesday, April 8, when a lorry, with the registration number KCR 822R, became stuck in the mud while transporting the stolen cattle near Oseno area.
How did Siaya residents react to cattle theft incident?
Upon discovering the theft, residents quickly ambushed the vehicle, forcing the suspected thieves to flee on foot.
The 39-year-old driver, identified as Amos Odhiambo, was left behind and subsequently assaulted by the irate crowd.
Police officers from Maranda Police Post arrived at the scene to rescue the driver and take him into custody for questioning.
In an act of retaliation, residents set fire to the lorry after recovering the stolen livestock.
"We did that so that those thieves do not return and steal our cows," said a resident.
The police have since taken the driver into custody at Bondo Police Station as the primary suspect in a regional cattle theft syndicate.
Resident Frank Owino expressed frustration over the rising insecurity in the area, highlighting that several families had recently lost their livestock.
“People have been complaining about increased insecurity, whereby several families have been losing their livestock to cattle thieves unknown to us and we would like the government to intervene. We are angry because these people keep on stealing from us and the police have done nothing to curb their actions,” Owino said.
He also criticised the delayed response from law enforcement, stating that despite reports, police had arrived late, only rescuing the driver rather than recovering the stolen cattle.
3 suspects arrested over highway robberies spree
In other news, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirmed the arrest of three suspects — Joseph Macharia Mwangi, Peter Muchemi Maina, and Agnes Malemba Mshenga — in connection with a string of highway robberies.
Source: Facebook
The trio was apprehended at Vacani Resort while travelling in a white Subaru Legacy bearing the registration number KCJ 842Z.
During the operation, officers recovered several suspicious items, including jungle uniforms, two Maasai swords, a kitchen knife, and a mechanic’s toolkit containing a jack, spanners, pressure pumps, brake pads, puncture repair equipment, and an assortment of tools believed to be used for house-breaking.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
