An enraged Odiko confronted and threw verbal insults at Ngoje before they went physical.
On September 16, 2023, on Nyagina beach in Suba North, members of the public were present when a fisherman who was accused of killing a colleague was killed by a group of people. ROBERT OMOLLO, IMAGE
Two fishermen were tragically killed at Nyagina beach in Suba North constituency, Homabay County, as a result of a quarrel over a cigarette puff.
Shikuku Odiko and Geoffrey Ngoje, two fisherman, got into a fight over a Sh15 cigarette stick that Ngoje had bought.
Trouble started when Odiko, 36, started insulting Ngoje, 32, after he denied him a cigarette puff.
The verbal blows turned into an actual fight, according to Rusinga East Location Chief Mboya Owuor, when Odiko pulled a knife and stabbed Ngoje to death.
"Ngoje started bleeding heavily before he died from the chest wounds that Odiko inflicted on him," stated. Owuor
The incident on Saturday night generated a lot of tension along the beach and attracted a lot of residents.
According to the administrator, a few of Ngoje's friends and members of the public organized themselves, arrested Odiko, and lynched him.
"While Odiko was attempting to flee, the mob caught up with him. Others beat him with wooden rods and paddles while others stoned him. He died suddenly as a result of the the injuries he sustained from the beatings, according to Owuor.
One of the fisherman killed during the fight at Nyagina Beach in the Suba North constituency ROBERT OMOLLO is depicted
The two bodies were carried to the mortuary at Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital, and the incident has been reported to Mbita police station for investigation.
In the meantime, police have advocated members of the Nyagina Beach Management Department to provide statements regarding the two incidents.
The expectation is that they will provide the investigating authorities with relevant details regarding the incidents. The police will also get assist from the officials in identifying those who took part in mob justice, Owuor added.
The MP for Suba North, Millie Odhiambo, condemned the two incidents and urged beach management officials to take the initiative in settling conflicts between fishermen.
It is now time for beach management staff to take their responsibilities seriously, which includes resolving disputes before they erupt. In order to avoid the loss of lives and destruction of property, police intervention should be sought quickly, according to Millie.
