A man freed by a Nakuru court for lack of evidence against rape and murder charges has been attacked by a mob in Kinangop – The man w...
A man freed by a Nakuru court for lack of evidence against rape and murder charges has been attacked by a mob in Kinangop
– The man was arrested in 2009 after being accused of killing women and drinking their blood
A man who has spent seven years in jail over alleged rape and murder was attacked and seriously injured by an angry mob hours after being freed by a Nakuru court.
Geoffrey Matheri alias Fongo was on Monday, August 1, rounded up by residents of Rwanyambo area in Kinangop and almost killed before his family rescued him and rushed him to the Naivasha sub-county hospital where he is receiving treatment.
Fongo had visited his uncle in Kinangop and sought refuge after being freed by the court on grounds that the prosecution could not provide sufficient evidence to have him jailed for murder and rape.
Residents descended on him following the verdict by the court.
He was arrested and jailed in 2009 for allegedly raping and killing women before he drunk their blood.
However, the court only found him guilty of alleged rape and jailed him for five years in 2011.
The other charges were thrown out.
He had completed his five-year jail term but the society was not ready to accept him.
Making the verdict, Justice Moureen Odero said that Matheri had been coerced into admitting he killed and raped women and drunk his victims’ blood.
“The prosecution’s case lacked cogency and failed to prove the charge of murder as required by the standard of law. The accused is to be set at liberty forthwith unless he is otherwise lawfully held,” Justice Odero said.
Matheri himself had told the court that police had threatened to kill him if he did not make the confession.
“I was forced by police to confess that I was a serial killer. They issued me with death threats and told me to admit that I killed women and sucked their blood,” Matheri said.
Among those the former street boy allegedly killed included Esther Akinyi and Naomi Wairimu.
