An off-duty police officer from the Quick Response Unit (QRU) in Garissa County tragically became one of the victims in a mob justice incident in Nairobi’s Eastlands area.
The rise in mob lynching cases continues to pose a significant challenge, despite ongoing efforts to combat this issue.
Authorities at Mowlem Police Station identified the deceased as Police Constable John Muya Karume, who served in the Quick Response Unit in Garissa County.
Officials confirmed that the officer resided with his family in the Baraka area of Mowlem in Nairobi and had been off duty for a medical review.
His spouse informed investigators that he left their home on March 13 around 4:00 PM and did not return. Police later determined that he had fallen victim to a mob justice incident reported earlier in the area.
Nairobi police commander Issa Mohamud stated that the circumstances leading to the attack remain unclear, and investigators are diligently working to uncover the events preceding the officer’s lynching.
Authorities have initiated investigations into the incident while police actively pursue those responsible for the crime.
Law enforcement officials have condemned mob lynching and urged the public to hand over suspects to authorities for proper processing.
Data indicates that at least 845 mob justice incidents occurred across the country between January 2025 and February 2026.
Among these, 579 resulted in fatalities, while 266 caused injuries.
Kiambu County reported the highest number of cases, with 90 incidents—58 deaths and 32 injuries—followed closely by Nairobi, which recorded 85 incidents resulting in 55 deaths and 30 injuries.
Other counties reported significant figures as well: Embu registered 51 cases (33 deaths, 18 injuries), Kisumu had 45 (36 deaths, nine injuries), Kirinyaga recorded 39 (28 deaths, 11 injuries), and Kakamega noted 32 (19 deaths, 13 injuries). Marsabit, Taita Taveta, and Tana River each recorded one fatal incident.
In a separate incident, a 27-year-old man lost his life following an alleged attack by two individuals during a dispute over a cow grazing on his grass plantation in Ugunja Sub-county, Siaya County.
Police reported that the incident occurred on Sunday evening.
Witnesses stated that members of the public apprehended two suspects after they allegedly assaulted Kevin Opundo, 27.
Responding officers at Asere Village learned that the conflict began around 10:00 AM when the deceased discovered a cow tethered next to his grass plantation.
In a moment of frustration, Opundo reportedly untied the cow with the intention of taking it to Umina Police Post.
However, as he walked approximately 50 meters from his farm with the cow, the two suspects allegedly confronted him and attacked him with sticks and stones.
The victim sustained serious head injuries and was rushed to Ambira Hospital for treatment, where he tragically succumbed while receiving care.
His body has been transferred to Ambira Mortuary, pending a post-mortem examination.
Police have initiated an investigation into this incident.
