Police Arrest Three Men Videotaped Beating a Woman and Her Son

Police in Homa Bay County have arrested three men who were videotaped beating a woman and her son.

Dedan Kimathi Agan, Enos Odhiambo Osoo, and Lukio Okwiri were arrested on Tuesday, a day after a video of the incident went viral on social media, sparking widespread uproar.

The three suspects were booked at Oriwo police station in Kambui awaiting further investigations and arraignment to face charges of assault causing actual bodily harm, according to the National Police Service (NPS).

It is alleged that the suspects were punishing the woman presumed to be their in-law and her son for breaking some Luo traditions. 

“Just kill me. Arrest me with him. Help me. You are killing me. You had ordered me to leave, I’m going now,” the lady begged.

One of the people on the video was heard claiming that the woman exposed her body to the public, which is considered a taboo in Luo traditions.

A witness told Nation that the elderly woman tried to use her underwear to defend her son, who was being accused of assaulting another villager.

Among the Luo, if a person exposes their underclothes and uses them to hit another, the target is considered cursed.

The viral clip shows one man in a red shirt holding the woman as two others beat her with sticks. They also rain on her son with blows and kicks as fellow villagers watch.

“There are legally laid down procedures of settling conflicts between people. The rule of law should always prevail against the rule of the mob in all situations,” the National Police Service said.

“The cruel act victimizing the two for whatever reason is unjustified, unlawful, and cruel.”