A scene of bloody chaos erupted in Kericho County as mob justice claimed the lives of five suspected robbers, including a serving police officer. The brutal lynching in Koitaburot has exposed the rotting underbelly of law enforcement, where the line between the police and the criminals has been erased.

The drama began in Muhoroni, where a Sacco treasurer had just withdrawn Sh1.1 million. Unbeknownst to him, he was being trailed by a five-man gang. When they struck, attempting to flee along the West Valley Sugar Road, they ran into an enraged public. The residents of Soin Sigowet, tired of living in fear, did not wait for the police. They cornered the vehicle and stoned the occupants to death in a gruesome display of vigilante fury.

The Betrayal of the Badge

When the dust settled and the real police arrived, the search of the bodies revealed a shocking truth. Among the battered corpses was a man carrying a police job card. Also recovered were a government-issued National Auctioneers Licensing Board card, walkie-talkies, and a plastic toy gun modified to look like a deadly revolver. This was not a random gang; it was a squad with inside knowledge and official cover.

Police Commander Lawrence Kisini confirmed the recovery of the items, stating that the toy pistol was used to "scare the public." But the public was not scared; they were angry. "This incident happened at 10am... we heard screams from the tarmac," recounted resident Jesse Kiprotich. The mob’s swift reaction thwarted the robbery, but the Sh1.1 million is believed to have vanished in the melee, likely pocketed by the very people who meted out the justice.

• The Gang: Five men, including a rogue officer and likely an auctioneer, operating as a professional hit squad.
• The Loot: Sh1.1 million targeted, but the money is missing.
• The Reaction: Residents defended their actions, citing a lack of trust in the formal justice system.

A Crisis of Confidence

This incident is a damning indictment of the security situation in the region. When the public lynches a police officer, it signals a complete breakdown of the social contract. It suggests that the people view the police not as protectors, but as predators.

The bodies now lie in the Kericho County Hospital Mortuary, awaiting autopsy and identification. But the questions they leave behind are far more uncomfortable. How many more officers are moonlighting as armed robbers? And how long can a society survive when the only justice available is the stone in a mob’s hand?