Nairobi News

Kibra may be known as the second largest slum in Africa where business goes on almost at a 24-hour economy, but now it’s a slum that is slowly proving to be home to many youth, who are involved in organized crime.

In the last two weeks, police officers based in Ruiru sub county have been keen to follow up how the gangs operate after preliminary findings linked four gangsters who live in the slum with crime that has been taking place in various parts of the city.

RECOVERED FIREARMS

A detective privy to the ongoing case, who spoke to Nairobi News in confidence, said that already the police had recovered two guns which the Kibra-based gangs have been using to conduct their criminal activities in Mlolongo, Mombasa Road, Ngong Road and several estates within Kiambu County.

“In as much as they are young, the gangsters seem to be bold and have informers who assist them operate in every place that they attack,” the detective said.

The recovery of the two firearms and ammunition kicked off two weeks ago when one of the gangsters fled from a scene of crime leaving his phone behind.

Three gangsters identified as Godfrey Ogola, Joseph Mwai and Reuben Mburu Chege, on April 3, 2020 hired a boda boda in Kibra, where they reside, and proceeded to Githurai Mwihoko and Kimbo areas.

Their mission? They had plans to rob and steal from area residents – something they have been doing for months until when they were nabbed them.

Armed with a Ceska pistol and 10 bullets, the gangsters hijacked a car in Githurai Mwihoko area and kidnapped the owner identified as Anthony Wahome.

They ordered him to take the back seat between two of the gang members as one of them took over the steering and drove to Mlolongo.

ROBBERY SPREE

Detectives believe that the trio has been behind a number of robberies that have been taking place in Mlolongo in the recent past.

As soon as they reached Mlolongo, they tried to attack yet another motorist identified as Kennedy Luibi, who is a licensed firearm holder.

Mr Luibi drew his gun and shot in the air forcing the three to scamper for safety. They later regrouped and hijacked a school van that belongs to one David Simiyu which they used to flee from Syokimau to Karen.

Once they reached at Karen, they vandalised the school van before fleeing on foot into Kibra slums.

As this was happening, one of the robbers left his phone charging inside the car that they had driven in from Githurai Kimbo.

It is the recovery of the phone that led the police into a great discovery which has seen a silent crackdown in Kibra to arrest more gang members.

Thinking that the phone was still in the hands of Mr Wahome who was their first victim, the three started sending threatening messages and warned him not to give the phone to the police. Instead, they gave him orders on where to take the phone.

THREATS TO POLICE

“They did not know that they were threatening the police and even gave orders on how and where the phone should be taken,” a detective told Nairobi News.

Police say that the phone’s sim card was registered using a different name without the owner’s consent, a norm with people who are engaged in crime and frequently use their mobile phones.

Detectives then went ahead and traced the callers which led to the arrest of the three who taken to Githurai Kimbo police station.

Police also recovered a SP1 pistol and 64 rounds of ammunition hidden in the house of Mr Mwai.

Detectives also raided Mr Ogola’s house in Lindi within Kibra, where they recovered 80 rounds of ammunition designed for use with a Smith and Wesson revolver.

“We further questioned him and he revealed that he has been given the ammunition by one Abdi Suleiman Abdul, 22, and that they have been in possession of a revolver for a number of months,” a detective told Nairobi News.

It remains unclear where he got the deadly firearm from, but police believe that it was stolen from the home of a foreigner who resides in Karen estate, Nairobi.