Two more suspects linked to Rongai robbery arrested, gun, cash recovered
Detectives have arrested two more suspects linked to an incident in which a woman was on Sunday morning robbed at gunpoint at her home in Kandisi in Ongata Rongai, Kajiado County.
This brings the number of those arrested to four after a man believed to have been sent by the gang to withdraw Sh240,000 that had been transferred from a victim of another robbery in the area over the weekend was arrested on Monday night in Mwiki, a trading centre in Kasarani, Nairobi. An M-Pesa shop attendant is also in custody.
In a statement, Police Spokesperson, Bruno Shioso on Wednesday said the four are assisting detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters, who have since taken over the case.
“To date, four (4) suspects have been apprehended and are aiding police with further investigations. So far, they are cooperating, and they will shall be arraigned in court as per the law,” Shioso said.
The Police Spokesperson also revealed that detectives have recovered a pistol, some money believed to be proceeds of the robbery and items of clothing’s worn by the robbers during the incident.
‘The dragnet is being widened to nab more suspects still on the run. The Inspector General of Police has ordered a crackdown within the areas and environs of Ongata Rongai targeting organised criminal gangs terrorising and robbing law abiding citizens,” he added.
This comes in the wake of pending police changes in Rongai area as part of efforts to address the trend, which residents claim has been going on for some time.
On Monday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i ordered a mass transfer of officers at Kandisi Police Station after residents complained about deteriorating security in the neighbourhood. Additionally, the CS ordered all bars and liquor shops shut.
“A new team will be brought to cover the entire Kandisi area and work hand in hand with the local police. All criminal activities must be recorded in the OB and forwarded to my office by Monday evening,” Dr Matiang’i said when he visited the area on Monday.
Forensic detectives and officers from the DCI’s Serious Crimes Unit spent the whole day on Tuesday combing the house that was robbed in Sunday morning incident. The detectives also extracted CCTV footage and recorded statements from witnesses.
The woman’s husband, Mr Geofrey Otieno, had travelled out of Nairobi for work when the robbery happened. It is only his wife, whose name has not been released for security reasons, two children and a house help who were present when the robbery happened.
In total, six men including one whom detectives suspect was a rogue police officer, took part in the robbery. It is further suspected that the said rogue officer was behind the robbery, prompting the Interior ministry to mount a crackdown in the area.
Five such attacks have been recorded in the occurrence book at Kandisi police station in the past three months. The neighbouring estates have also been rocked by insecurity.