When a nation loses faith in its justice system, chaos and mob rule fill the void

Charles Onyango, alias Kwa, was suspected of being behind a series of killings in Gem. On Thursday, a crowd confronted and lynched him in Kisumu. That same day, three suspected motorcycle thieves were beaten to death in Lugari, Kakamega County.

These incidents are the latest in a worrying trend of mob justice, where members of the public take the law into their own hands to punish individuals linked to crime.

The three in Lugari were reportedly involved in the theft of a motorbike two days earlier, after luring the owner, who was later found dead. They were cornered by an angry mob at Makutano market, beaten to death and their bodies set ablaze.

Such incidents have become increasingly common across the country, with mobs attacking individuals caught or even suspected of engaging in crime.

Mob injustice refers to the act of a crowd taking the law into their own hands by punishing an alleged offender, often without following due legal process or allowing for a fair trial.

Ordinarily, the law requires that a suspect be presented in court within 24 hours and be granted bond or bail under reasonable terms. They are also entitled to humane treatment and access to legal or family support.

However, mob justice is taking root with police often appearing helpless, either overwhelmed by the crowds or unable to rescue the victims on time.

Police records show that at least four cases of mob injustice are reported daily in Kenya despite the practice being illegal and considered a serious offense. Article 50(2)(a) of the Constitution states that every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

In June 2025, The Standard documented close to 130 cases of mob justice reported at various police stations across the country. In many of these incidents, victims either died on the spot, succumbed to injuries in the hospital, or were left permanently maimed.

The majority of the victims, mostly young people in their prime, were attacked over allegations of stealing farm produce, poultry, livestock, motorbikes, defilement, or breaking into homes and shops. The trend continued in July and has persisted this month, with the most recent case being the lynching of three suspects in Lugari.

In June, most of the cases occurred in Kakamega, Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, Kisumu, Busia and Siaya counties, areas where mobs have increasingly taken the law into their own hands, delivering what they call ‘instant justice’. This disturbing pattern risks degenerating into lawlessness, as more communities begin to view such actions as normal form of punishment.

Experts attribute the growing wave of mob justice to several underlying factors, among them: widespread public frustration, a rise in extra-judicial killings, loss of confidence in institutions, entrenched corruption, slow judicial processes, lenient sentencing, and a general lack of public awareness about how policing, prosecution and trial works.

“Mob injustice is the mirror-image of a society in distress, but it can never be a solution. It is a symptom, not a cure. And like any symptom, it can be treated; not with silence or indifference, but with a bold and united resolve to restore law, order and the dignity of due process,” says Dr Elijah Kirimi, a lecturer and consultant in psychology and criminology.

He adds that mob justice is the tragic outcome of a system that has failed to provide meaningful avenues for justice, where emotional outbursts are mistaken for justice. “The mob, desperate for resolution and visibility, finds a target to punish, not because guilt is proven, but because the system has failed them too many times,” Kirimi explains.

“And underpinning all this is the fundamental attribution error; the psychological bias where people hastily conclude guilt based on behaviour alone, disregarding context, motive, or circumstance,” he adds.

Dr John Onyango Omboto, a criminologist, says the public needs to understand how the justice system works.

He believes many citizens misunderstand key justice processes such as community probation, the power of mercy, parole, bonds and cash bail.

He says there’s a pressing need to educate the public on why courts may release suspects when evidence is insufficient or witnesses fail to testify, why lenient sentences are sometimes applied and that suspects are legally entitled to bond or bail.

“But beyond that, there is widespread lawlessness in society. We lack role models, and there’s a prevailing perception that everyone, from the bottom to the top, is a thief. People are turning to mob justice because they’ve lost faith in the police, who are often bribed and when cases go to court, many suspects end up walking free,” says Dr Omboto, an expert in crime, criminal justice and offender rehabilitation who lectures at Kenyatta University.

June 11, 2025, recorded the highest number of mob justice cases across several counties, including Nairobi, Kitui, Trans Nzoia, Bungoma, Kakamega, Bomet, Mombasa, Isiolo, and Machakos.

In Nairobi’s Tassia Estate, a man estimated to be about 30 years old was beaten to death and his body set on fire after allegedly attempting to steal a motorbike in the Makuti area.

In Siaya County, Henry Oswago, a suspected motorcycle thief was cornered in Bondo town after stealing the motorbike that had been parked outside Maranda High School where sporting activities were taking place.

Boda Boda operators pursued him up to Bondo town where he was seriously beaten he succumbed to the injuries.

Some six mob injustices incidents were reported on June 8 in Makueni, Vihiga, Siaya, Nairobi, Kirinyaga and Siaya counties. At Kathuma area in Makueni, a man only identified as Wafula was lynched after he was allegedly found trying an Airtel network booster while in Lusiola, within Vihiga County, 42-year-old Elly Abwao was beaten after being found with a bunch of bananas suspected to have been stolen from a local farm.

In Kitui, 30-year-old Joshua Syoki Kisaingu was severely beaten by locals at Kithyoko Market for allegedly poisoning his sister’s children, seven-year-old Samson Kisaingu and two-year-old Faith Mutheu.

It is alleged that Syoki served the children poisoned food. Both were rushed to Kithyoko Health Centre for first aid. While the boy survived, the girl was transferred to Mwingi Hospital for specialized treatment but later died.On the same day, 24-year-old Nick Wekesa Juma was admitted to Kijana Wamalwa County Hospital in Trans Nzoia in critical condition after being beaten by an angry mob that pursued him to the Chisare area. He was accused of stealing a motorbike in Kitale town.

In Bungoma County, 37-year-old James Obeke Boit died at Mt Elgon Hospital after villagers in Kamuneru village descended on him with kicks and blows. He was allegedly caught stealing potatoes from a local farm.

In Matungu, Kakamega County, an unidentified man was severely beaten by a mob at Longanyiro after he was found in possession of a goat suspected to have been stolen.

In Bomet County, police rescued Fancy Chepkoech and Boniface Ngetich from a mob baying for their blood. The two were cornered in Saruchat village while attempting to transport a stolen cow in a Toyota Probox driven by Gideon Kimutai Too, alias Elkana.

In Mombasa County, an unidentified man was lynched at Kwahola, Changamwe. He had reportedly scaled a perimeter wall and entered a house, prompting the owner to raise the alarm. He was found with kitchen utensils.

in Isiolo County, 18-year-old Evans Mutwiri was left nursing serious injuries in the hospital after he was allegedly caught stealing a TV set, woofer system and a chicken from a homestead in Kulamawe area.

Meanwhile, a 19-year-old boy was bludgeoned to death in Kantafu, Machakos County. It was said that the suspect, in the company of accomplices who managed to escape, was found removing windows from a house still under construction.

Amid the lawlessness, police officers are often helpless or overwhelmed by the angry mobs. Victims lucky to be rescued are normally taken to hospital with mobs being warned to desist from taking the law into their own hands.

Despite police warnings, mob injustice persists with those involved justifying their actions while maintaining they have lost trust in police and courts for freeing suspects, some who return to haunt them.

VOCAL Africa has raised the alarm over the rising cases of mob injustice across the country, terming the trend not just a sign of public frustration but a painful indictment of Kenya’s ailing criminal justice system.

“At the heart of this crisis is a widespread and growing lack of faith in the police service,” said the organisation’s Chief Executive Officer Hussein Khalid.

“The latest report by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, which once again ranked the police as the most corrupt institution in the country, confirms what Kenyans have long known, that justice is for sale. Those without money or connections are left to the mercy of the streets.”

Khalid noted that when police officers demand bribes instead of filing reports, when suspects buy their way out of custody, and when investigations conveniently disappear or stall, the public is pushed to dangerous extremes.

“But no amount of frustration justifies extra-judicial killings. Mob justice is not justice. It is chaos, cruelty and collective punishment. It violates the Constitution and the rule of law and often targets innocent people,” he added.

On June 1, 2025, students at Lumakanda Boys High School in Kakamega County attacked 25-year-old Francis Musongo after allegedly catching him stealing from their dormitories. In Kwale, villagers in Timboni, Kinango, descended on Ramah Mudzo, accused of raiding a chicken pen with accomplices who fled.

The next day, two men, Joseph Chumba and Silas Amwayi, were beaten in Lorian village, Uasin Gishu, after allegedly being found selling stolen goods. In Nairobi’s Huruma estate on June 3, boda boda riders beat two men accused of stealing a motorcycle in Eastleigh.

June 4 saw five cases reported in Migori, Bomet, Nandi and Kisumu. In Migori town, Salim Samuel was rescued by police after allegedly attempting to steal a parked motorbike.In Chebirbelek, Bomet, Vincent Bett and Emmanuel Kemboi were accused of stealing a motorcycle and were attacked by villagers who later stormed the chief’s office where they had sought refuge.

In Bungoma’s Kamukunywa, a man identified only as Joseph was nearly lynched over a suspected stolen cow. That same night, a man in Ntimaru, Migori, was beaten to death after a foiled robbery at the home of Jessica Muruga, where the intruders molested her.

In Nandi’s Chesumei, Jonah Kiprugut and David Tarus were injured while allegedly slaughtering a stolen cow. In Kisumu’s Kadiang’a village, Vincent Onyango Oguko was killed after attempting to break into a home.

On June 5, six more cases were recorded. In Baharini, Lamu County, Kevin Odongo was beaten after snatching a phone from a woman escorting her child to school. In Embu, two men were attacked after allegedly stealing flour.

In Tana River, Abdi Kasim Mohamed was left unconscious after being caught slaughtering a stolen sheep. At Mtwapa Bridge, Kilifi, a suspected motorbike thief was cornered and beaten. In Bomet’s Sotik town, Davis Too was attacked after swindling an M-Pesa agent. And in Bungoma, a man named Musa was nearly killed on suspicion of theft.

In tomorrow’s paper, find out what the police say about the disturbing trend.