A self-confessed serial child murderer have been killed by a mob in western Kenya, after he escaped from police custody.
Twenty year old Masten Wanjala, was traced by villagers to a house in Bungoma town and beaten to death.
Police authorities had launched a manhunt for him after it was discovered that he escaped from custody. He had admitted to the killing of ten boys during a five year period.
However, after escaping, he returned to his parent's home, who have disowned him, and was subsequently strangled by neighbours who found out he was there, an eyewitness told Kenya's Standard newspaper.
He tried to stave off suspicious locals by moving to a nearby house, Bungoma's police commander told the paper.
It is thought his family identified the body, although a police spokesperson said they are still doing "basic verification" to make sure the deceased is indeed Wanjala, according to Reuters news agency.
"We are not sure how he managed to travel all the way from Nairobi to his rural home," Musyoki Mutungi said. "It is the curious villagers who first identified him and went ahead to kill him even before the police could be informed."
He had confessed that he first killed his first victim when he was sixteen. He posed as a football coach to lure his victims to secluded areas, after which he attacked them. In some cases he took them as hostages for ransom.
The killings took place in Nairobi, and areas of eastern and western Kenya.
Three police officers who were on duty when he escaped on Wednesday have been charged with aiding the escape of a suspect and negligence.