Samuel* was lynched by outraged community members led by boda-boda riders in Kiratina estate. Doctors say he has 21 per cent superficial burns on his chest, hand and neck.

Mtaa Wangu finds him lying on a hospital bed, too injured to speak, he seemed to be in pain from the extent of his burns.

He did not move an inch or open his eyes as we stood beside his bed. His family and friends stood beside him, agonising over his current medical condition.

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On our first attempt to get him to talk to us, the family quickly refused to our request for an interview.
It took several minutes of back and forth to secure an interview.

Their opposition was based on the fact that patient's safety would be jeopardised if he spoke to the media. A few minutes later, the family gave in to our request.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Samuel's uncle said his nephew was hospitalised after being picked up from his home by people who raided their home and left with him.

"A group of about 300 people came to our house and said they were looking for my nephew. When I asked them what was going on, they said he had been named by one of the boys they had interrogated as one of the men terrorising the locals in Kiratina," he said.

According to Samuel's uncle the 21-year-old was orphaned at a young age and he has been his guardian ever since. He describes him as a boy who keeps to himself and who respects people in the community.

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During the interview, he questioned why the police had allowed vigilantism to be the way to solve insecurity issues in Kiratina, noting that the law should be followed and proper channels to deal with insecurity issues to be used.

"Let the police officers step in and investigate. The attack on my nephew was a case of mistaken identity. Why should someone be lynched based on the word of mouth of a person who has already been tortured by bodaboda riders to give up his friends," he said.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old John - also a victim of the mob injustice - lay on his back in a hospital bed in another ward, recovering from his injuries.

According to John the men who attacked him claimed that he was involved in the stabbing incident involving a bodaboda operator.

"I am lucky to be alive today. I was hit with a nine-inch brick. Every time I tried to speak and proclaim my innocence, the beating continued. If it were not for the police, I would be dead now," he says.

Asked what he was doing to support himself, the young man said he had dropped out of school due to financial constraints and was currently dependent on his parents.

The second victim said he was able to identify the people who attacked the Bodaboda chairman, but feared for his safety since he lives among the perpetrators of the heinous act.
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Kiratina: A knife, a crime and a case of mistaken identity

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