A police officer is nursing a fractured wrist following a tussle with a suspected thug in Nairobi’s Kileleshwa area.
The officer from Kileleshwa police station had rushed to a scene along Kandara Road to save a suspect who was being lynched by a mob when the incident happened on Sunday April 13 evening.
Police said a group of boda boda riders had cornered a suspected thug who had attempted to snatch a mobile phone from a pedestrian.
The suspects were riding on a motorcycle when an alarm was raised. The area has been experiencing a surge in incidents of mobile snatching by suspects on motorcycles.
Police said two suspects managed to escape, leaving the rider trapped and being subjected to mob injustice.
The rider is believed to have been part of the gang who were his pillion passengers and who wanted to snatch mobile phones.
According to police and witnesses, as the police officer intervened to save the suspect, a tussle broke out as he attempted to free himself and bolt out.
They both fell on the ground, leaving the constable of police with a fractured hand.
The mob again landed on the suspect with more blows and kicks before more officers arrived to safe him. The team rushed their colleague to hospital, where it was confirmed through X-rays he sustained a fracture on the left wrist.
He was admitted for medical attention as the suspect was moved to the police station for processing.
Cases of mobile phone snatching have been on the rise amid efforts by police to contain the trend. Most of the incidents are enhanced by some motorcyclists.
Various boda boda saccos have teamed up with security agencies to address the menace. Police say they have been arresting and charging some of the suspects involved in the trend.
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