The four-man gang found with the AK47 said to have been used in the murder of Jacob Juma has been linked to 15 cases of carjack and kidnap in the past five months.
Police yesterday identified two gang members, who include 28-year-old police constable Simon Muturi and 39-year-old Francis Kinuthia from Gatundu South. The two are believed to be members of a four-man gang infamous for carjacking and kidnapping in Nairobi.
Police shot the four suspects last Sunday at the Nyayo Roundabout in Nairobi. They were shot dead hours after receiving Sh70,000 from their last carjack victim. Muturi, an officer interdicted on suspicion he was involved in crime, is said to be the leader of the gang accused of at least 20 cases of carjack, kidnap and demand for ransom. Muturi was interdicted in 2012. At the time he was serving at the Central Police station in Mombasa.
Previously, the officer served at Wilson Airport, Ngong and Nairobi’s Central police station. He came from Thigio village in Tigoni, Limuru. Kinuthia, also an accomplice, came from Ndarugu village in Gatundu South. He is said to be a handcart pusher-turned-criminal.
Crime records show the gang was behind the kidnapping of Ivy Matiba Chege, veteran politician Kenneth Matiba’s daughter. Chege was carjacked on May 17 in Westlands and held hostage for close to 12 hours by the criminals who robbed her of money and mobile phones. They demanded ransom from her family.
She was abandoned in Kinoo the following day and the matter reported at Kilimani police station. The gang attempted to kidnap 45-year-old Turkish Selman Karabacak on May 5 at Kikambala Terraces in Kileleshwa. Karabacak was driving home when his car was blocked by gunmen.
He defied orders by the criminals to surrender and forced his way through the gates. He was shot in the right shoulder and the criminals escaped.
Ballistic examiners at the CID headquarters said grooves on two spent cartridges recovered from the scene where Juma was killed matched those on the gun found on the criminals.
A statement from Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet, signed by spokesman George Kinoto, said police recovered the gun used to shoot Juma but did not link the gun to the suspects.
Here are 8 cases of carjacking, kidnap linked to the gang
- Ivy Matiba, daughter to veteran politician Kenneth Matiba,
was carjacked on May 17 in Westlands and held hostage for close to 12 hours by the criminals who robbed her of cash , mobile phones and also demanded for ransom from her family. She was abandoned in Kinoo on May 18 and the matter reported to Kilimani police station.
- A 45-year-old Turkish national –Selman Karabacak fell victim of the gang on May 5 at Kikambala Terraces in Kileleshwa. Karabacak was driving home when his car was blocked by gunmen using a Toyota fielder. He defied orders by the criminals to surrender and forced his way through the gate. He was shot in the right shoulder and the criminals escaped without stealing from him.
- On May 22, a couple was attacked by men believed to be members
of the same gang. Nadia Matenda and Judith Mungala were driving to their apartment in Kileleshwa when four gunmen blocked their vehicle. Two men entered their vehicle and drove them around
town for close to eight hours. They were abandoned ain Karen after transferring Sh164, 800 to the criminals on M-Pesa.
- French Nationals Fattner Hussein, 21 , was attacked by the gang on May 22 along Dennis Pritt road. Hussein was escorting his girlfriend home when three men armed with a pistol forced him into their vehicle. They took Sh1,300 from the victim and demanded another Sh100,000 ransom from the victim’s sister. He was released after the sister paid Sh50,000 ransom.
- Francis Muchai Waithaka who was driving to his Ruai
home on the night of May 10 was attacked by the same group. The matter was reported to Ruai police station. The gang abandoned him at Kanyariri in Kiambu after receiving Sh300,000 from the family.
- Dr Kiprop Biwott of Kenyatta National hospital was attacked by men believed to be members of the same gang as he drove to his Kileleshwa home at around 1am on April 29. They demanded for Sh100,000 ransom from his family and only released him along Ngong road after receiving Sh108,000 from his family. The matter was reported to Kilimani police station.
- Zang Yanju, a Chinese national made a report at Kilimani police that he was attacked by the gang on May 5 in Kileleshwa. The criminals accosted him as he entered his home, bundled him into their car and held him hostage for over five hours. He was released after paying Sh205,000 ransom.
- Michael Ireri was travelling in a Taxi from the JKIA to his house in Kileleshwa. He was attacked at his exotic flats gate on May 5 by four men with pistols. He was released after six hours and his family and friend forced to pay Sh108,000 ransom.
- City trader Imran
Abdulgaful
was carjacked by the gang on the day they were gunned down.
They managed to pocket Sh70,000 ransom from the family and abandoned the businessman on Uhuru highway.
How police burst the group
Members of the four man gang were shot dead last Sunday at 1.30am by the police as they drove along Nyayo Stadium roundabout. Detectives from the Special crime Prevention Unit were trailing around the city.
The gang was shot after a failed carjacking incident in South B estate. Hours before they were gunned down, the gang had attacked city trader Imran Abdulgaful.
They managed to pocket Sh 70,000 ransom from the family and abandoned the businessman on Uhuru highway.
The victim’s brother –Zakir Abdulgaful said his brother was driving home in South C at around 1am when he was abducted by four men armed with pistols. They demanded cash from the victim’s family after which they released him after the cash was sent on M-pesa.
The previous night, the gang had escaped a police drag net and chase that lasted the whole night. Seven teams of officers from the Flying Squad and Special Crimes Prevention Unit gave chase the whole night but failed to arrest the suspects.
On the fateful night
the suspects fell into a police trap at the Nyayo Stadium round about when they drove to a road block mounted by detectives from the Special Crimes Prevention Unit who shot the men after they defied orders to surrender.
Unanswered questioned after police found the murder weapon:
The latest findings by the police are yet to solve the murder puzzle of the killed businessman Jacob Juma.
Some of the issues that are still unresolved include:
The motive of the murder
The origin of the AK 47
How did the killed men access the AK 47
Other than the killed men, are there other members of the gang out there?
Did the police know of the link between the killed men and the Jacob Juma murder?
Why did it take close to five months for the police to act on the numerous public complaints on the gang?