Chaos erupted at a police station in Migori after irate residents stormed the area demanding to lynch a suspect arrested over claims of impersonation.
It all started when officers from Awendo police station spotted a person passing by dressed in feminine clothes but had masculine features.
The officer was summoned immediately and after interrogation, he identified himself as Sheila Bichange.
"Upon a cursory examination, the suspect owned up and produced a national identification card with a picture that matched his appearance," a police report seen by Nairobi Leo reads in part.
"The ID card showed he is Jared Opiyo Nyatumba, a 21 – year old Luo male adult from Homabay County, Ndhiwa sub-county, Kobama location, Kobama sublocation."
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It is during his detention that a misleading report went around on social media that a person who has been behind a spate of killings in the area had been arrested.
“This prompted them to come to the station in their hundreds demanding to be allowed to see the suspect. The suspect was shown to them through the report office window but they insisted that he should be handed over to them for lynching,” the police report said.
The officers however refused to heed the demand leading to a chaotic incident.
The police were forced to hurl tear gas canisters to disperse the irate group of people.
Seven people were arrested as a result of the chaotic incident.
Police said seventeen motorcycles belonging to the riotous were impounded and kept in the station’s yard.
The main impersonator was whisked from the station and taken to Migori county criminal investigations Officer’s offices for further processing.
No police officer or member of the public was injured during the incident.
