Wesley Matekwa walked out of an entertainment joint in the Congo area of Kawangware on the eve of January 25 after watching a football match between Arsenal and Manchester United.
Unbeknownst to him, it would be his last day alive. His wife and their six-month-old infant will forever miss him.
Matekwa was walking home at around 10 p.m. when he was accosted by two women who robbed him of his mobile phone before running away.
Matekwa pursued the ladies, who then started screaming for help while accusing the deceased of being a thief.
As reported by a local TV station, members of the public, drawn by the cries, restrained the deceased from retrieving his mobile phone, despite his explanations.
He was then attacked and fatally wounded before his body was set ablaze. Disturbing images and videos from the scene captured the horrifying final moments of the young man, who succumbed to his injuries following the assault.
The case is currently under investigation by the police. The heartbroken family is seeking justice after accounts from his family, friends, and colleagues vehemently disputed the version of events provided by the two women, who alleged that Matekwa had snatched the mobile phone from them.
According to his friends and family, Matekwa was a victim of circumstance, maliciously linked to robbery. His wife, Rehema Otende, recounted that she saw her husband trying to defend himself and identify himself, but the crowd wouldn’t listen. “He has left me with a six-month-old infant,” she said.
Many have blamed the mob for condemning Matekwa when the women screamed, instead of first asking what had happened and finding the best way to resolve the situation.
The incident has sparked widespread concern about mob justice and the dangers of vigilante actions, in which members of the public take the law into their own hands; especially in situations where law enforcers are unable to intervene effectively.
In video footage, a police vehicle was spotted positioned just meters from the scene, with its hazard lights activated. However, officers reportedly made no effort to intervene or prevent the assault, raising serious questions about their role and giving the impression that they were waiting to handle the aftermath.
