How one man fell victim to suspected gangster who has been terrorising the public
A man in Nairobi has recounted his harrowing experience at the hands of a security guard who is the man suspect in a number of robbery with violence cases in the city.
Friday May 12, 2023 started like any other day for 24-year-old Erick Omondi Odongo. The resident of Komarock estate was gong about his business when he was stopped along the road by a motorist in a grey Nissan Wing road. The motorist asked for directions to K Mall, which Mr Odongo gave him.
Recounting the incident to Nairobi News, Mr Odongo said the driver drove a short distance before he alighted and bundled him into the vehicle, handcuffed him before returning to the driver’s seat. The motorist then started driving towards Outering Road.
“He then asked me whether I knew what my mistake was, and when I told him I was not aware of anything, he told me that I had been arrested for selling bhang in Komarock estate and if I wanted my freedom back then I had to part with some money,” said Mr Odongo.
Mr Odongo said the suspect then asked him how much money he had in his M-Pesa account and he said Sh650 was all that he had.
It is then that Mr Monibi told him that he should call his parents and inform them that he had been arrested.
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“I had no option but to call my mother. As I was informing her that I had been arrested, the driver took the phone and explained that he found me selling bhang and all he wanted was Sh2,000 so that he could set me free,” said Mr Odongo.
A few minutes later, the mother sent Sh2,000 to his phone number and Mr Monibi then ordered him to send the whole amount on the phone to his phone number.
Nairobi News is in possession of the M-Pesa statement that shows Mr Monibi received Sh2,600.
They had already arrived at Allsopps when Mr Odongo sent the money and the suspect released him and asked him to alight.
“Immediately he received the money, he deleted the message before asking me to alight. He then gave me Sh20 and told me to go back home,” narrated Mr Odongo.
When Nairobi News contacted the suspect, Mr Job Sindiga Monibi, he did not deny that he had received any money from the victim but said that the cash was taken from him the following day by a police officer who he only identified as Mr Edwin.
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“I received money from some number and the following day a police officer well known to me came here and picked the money. He sent the cash to me because I run a M-Pesa shop,” he said.
Investigations by Nairobi News have revealed that Mr Monibi is facing a number of court cases of robbing members of the public while armed with a firearm.
Mr Monibi was on March 11, 2023, charged with violently robbing Paul Mwaniki Muchiri of Sh7,000 while armed with guns and handcuffs on March 2, 2023. He is accused of committing the offence jointly with others including police officers who are at large.
In the second similar charge, Mr Monibi is accused of robbing Mr Peter Mwaura of Sh132,000 at Allsopps area within Starehe Sub County while armed with guns and handcuffs on March 3, 2023. He is accused of committing the offence jointly with an accomplice yet to be arrested.
The suspect is accused of threatening to use violence against the complainants during the alleged robberies.
Mr Muchiri was at Naivas area when he was stopped by Monibi who was driving along Outering road. Mr Monibi asked for directions to Donholm estate and while they were talking, they were joined by two men including one with handcuffs.
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They pushed Mr Muchiri into the car and drove with him towards Baba Dogo area. Along the way, the suspects told Mr Muchiri that they were police officers and had arrested him for possession of bhang.
They allegedly demanded Sh100,000 to free him, failure to which they would take him to the police station.
They then drove back to the same spot along Outering Road and dumped him at Allsops within the Ruaraka area. He proceeded to Ruaraka Police Station where he reported the incident.
Mr Monibi denied the charges before Makadara Chief Magistrate Francis Kyambia. Police constable Samson Jindwa, who is investigating the matter, filed an affidavit to oppose bond and bail terms.
The police officer told the court that the accused committed the offences jointly with police officers who are being sought and releasing the suspect on bail and bond would jeopardize the efforts to trace his accomplices.
But Mr Monibi’s lawyer Mwihaki Ng’ang’a opposed the application, saying his client is entitled to bail and bond as a suspect and no evidence has been presented in court that he could interfere with the investigations and arrests of other suspects.
Mr Kyambia will rule on bond and bail application on March 16, 2023.