Kenyans online have blasted Bomet residents for beating to death a shoe-polish thief on Friday.
The 23-year-old man was accused of stealing a carton containing a dozen cans of shoe polish worth Sh1,500 at the Green Rose Supermarket.
Some employees of the supermarket allegedly descended on the man with kicks and blows before he passed out. It is alleged that they poured cold water on him and them took him to Bomet Police Station.
The supermarket was closed at around 10am on Friday after residents stormed in and demanded an explanation from the management over the discrepancies in the statements given over the attack.
Bomet County Police Commander Naomi Ichami said the victim died at Bomet Sub-County Hospital while he was undergoing treatment.
Ms Ichami said the victim was brought to the police station by two employees of the supermarket who claimed that he had been beaten by a mob on the roadside after a theft incident.
But witnesses said the man was beaten inside the supermarket by staff members.
This spurred reactions online, with a section of Kenyans wondering why the thief had to take in such harsh punishment yet national graft cases that cost the country billions of money go unpunished.
