Kisumu residents are concerned about increased robberies of customers who withdraw large amounts of cash from banks. They have accused police and bank cashiers of colluding with criminals to rob unsuspecting clients.
Questions have been raised as to how customers are kidnapped at the heavily guarded premises and robbed.
On Friday, contractor Patrick Asuna was robbed of Sh280,000 by six armed thugs posing as police officers. The thugs also took his mobile phone. Asuna said he was accosted by two men dressed as regular police, immediately he withdrew cash from KCB. “As I was walking down the stairs, two men approached me and handcuffed me as I waited to board a motorcycle. I struggled with them before they bundled me into a waiting car with four other men at 1pm,” he said on Sunday.
Asuna said they drove him to a bush, about five kilometres from Kisumu CBD, where they robbed him at gunpoint. “While in their custody, they counted the money with one of them asking if it totalled to Sh280,000,” he said. The thugs released him but one of them nearly shot him when he asked for his cap back.
“I walked for more than three kilometres from the bush. I found myself next to Sunset Hotel, where a boda boda took me to Kisumu Central police station,” Asuna said.
Businessman and Gem parliamentary aspirant Eric Rabuogi said many residents have fallen victim to robbers after withdrawing large amounts.
Kisumu City Residents Voice Association chairman Audi Ogada said the robbers mostly target customers who withdraw large amounts from banks.
He said some robbers pose as customers inside the banks, before trailing the customers. Ogada said they suspect some cashiers give customer information to criminals.
Kisumu police boss Peter Omanwa could not comment as he was in a meeting.