Probe as boda rider is murdered after threatening to expose thieves in Kisii Town

A tragic killing has rocked Kisii County, after a 54-year-old boda boda rider, Peter Motari, was allegedly tortured and murdered by a gang of three men he had threatened to report for burglaries. According to police, the assailants lured Motari into a house in the Isana area on November 18, beat him severely — especially around the head — and left him for dead. His body was later discovered and taken to the mortuary pending an autopsy. The Star
Friends and family say Motari, who also worked as a night guard, had grown alarmed by repeated thefts in his neighbourhood. He had indicated his intention to go to the authorities, a move that allegedly provoked the chilling retaliation. The Star One of the women living in the house where the killing took place reported the matter to police after the incident, triggering an investigation. The Star Authorities have launched a manhunt for the suspects, but so far no arrests have been made. Local residents, furious over what they see as an act of vigilante terror, have also been demanding swift justice. The Star
The brutal killing has sparked outrage in Kisii, underscoring the disturbing rise of violent gangs operating under the veneer of community policing or vigilantism. The Star Civil society and neighbourhood leaders are calling on the national government and law enforcement to step in — warning that if such killings go unchecked, they will only embolden more self-styled justice enforcers.
Looking ahead, police say the hunt for the three men is on and they are appealing to anyone with information to come forward. The Star Meanwhile, advocates are urging structural reforms, pushing for stronger local policing mechanisms and community trust-building, so that residents do not feel forced to take the law into their own hands.