Five suspects who are suspected to belong to a notorious highway robbery gang that has been terrorizing motorists and truck drivers have been arrested by the detectives along the Thika-Nyeri and Thika-Embu highways.

The arrests are a result of a combined effort by the officers of the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau, Operations Assist Team, and DCI Gatanga following a series of violent robberies targeting transporters.

According to the police reports, the operation was prompted by two robbery cases that were reported at the Kutus and Wanguru Police Station, where drivers were ambushed by men posing as police officers.

“The gang, often dressed in jungle fatigues and reflector jackets, flagged down lorries under the guise of routine checks before assaulting drivers, handcuffing them and locking them in car trunks,” detectives said.

The stolen vehicles and goods would then be driven away with empty lorries, later abandoned.

One of the major incidents occurred on October 8, when a driver ferrying 450 bales of Raha Premium maize flour from Jomax Millers Limited to Nairobi was ambushed and then dumped miles away.

The truck was later found in Njiru, Nairobi, but without its cargo. A few days later, the same gang tried to rob the other Jomax Miller’s truck, but this time they were acting as officials of the Kenya Revenue Authority.

“The vigilant driver, aware of the previous attack, managed to escape,” the investigators said.

In another case, a truck that was carrying KSh 5.4 million worth of Colgate products from Nairobi to Embu was ambushed and dumped in the Ndarugu-Witeithie.

Detectives from Mwea East traced the stolen goods to a building in Embu, revealing the gang’s wider criminal network.

Detection of the suspects was done after days of surveillance and forensic tracking. On October 24, detectives arrested Festus Kandiki Kanyaru in Ruiru, who had admitted that he was a member of the gang.

Stolen Goods Recovered in Eastleigh Raid

He exposed that he and his accomplices had sold 400 bales of maize flour to a businessman in Eastleigh. Bamu, who was his associate and had the name Bundi Stanley Kaumbiri, was arrested the next day at his miraa shop in South B.

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A search at a house in Pipeline uncovered items believed to have been used in the robbery, such as toy pistols, military fatigues, handcuffs, and a Maasai whip.

The suspects were arraigned in court, where detectives were granted 14 days to complete investigations.

In a new development today, detectives have arrested three additional suspects, including Khalid Abdirahman Mohammed, Shueb Ahmed Hussein, and Yusuf Nur Abdullahi in Eastleigh for handling stolen goods.

“Two bales of the stolen maize flour were recovered in one of the stores in the area,” DCI confirmed.

The three remain in custody awaiting arraignment.

Police Manhunt on Two Fleeing Suspects

Detectives have intensified the hunt for the two remaining gang members.

“It is just a matter of time before they are brought to Justice,” DCI said.

The DCI has also encouraged truck drivers and transporters to be cautious and report to the authorities whenever they see any suspicious people posing as officers along major highways.

“We are calling upon all transporters to remain vigilant and to verify the identity of anyone claiming to be a law enforcement officer before complying with any instructions,” the instruction added.

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Jungle fatigues the gang posed on
Image/DCI