Police officers in Machakos County have launched investigations after residents of Malooni village in Liyuni sub-location lynched a 70-year-old man for attacking 4 family members.

Mr Ndunda Mutunga is said to have had differences with the family of his deceased brother over land.

He reportedly arrived home at about 10 pm on Sunday and went looking for his sister-in-law armed with a machete. Mutunga instead found the niece and her children and attacked them injuring all four who are currently admitted at the Machakos hospital.

At the time of publication, one of the victims was set to be transferred to the Kenyatta National Hospital due to the extensive nature of injuries sustained.

The elderly man reportedly hid in a thicket, but angry locals found him on Monday morning and beat him up before setting him on fire. The mob also burnt his homestead to the ground.

Police officers rescued the man from the mob and rushed him to Machakos Level V Hospital. He succumbed in the afternoon while undergoing treatment.