POLICE in Diani have arrested a man beleifed to be the mastermind of the robbery attack at the Msambweni Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission offices in May, where two watchmen were killed and property stolen. The suspect, Kennedy Ochieng’, who CID officers arrested in Diani at the weekend, has been arraigned in a Kwale court facing robbery with violence charges.
The area police chief, Mwenda Ethaiba, confirmed that the man is still being questioned in order to gather concrete evidence to ascertain if indeed he was involved in the raid. The offices are situated in the same region where Mombasa Republican Council adherents are densely located and have been warning residents against voting in the next elections. IEBC officials have since requested to be given adequate security, claiming the area has become dangerous.
Yesterday, Ethaiba said the suspect, who hails from Likoni, was arrested in Diani. During the May incident, the robbers, who were armed with crude weapons, broke into Yehu Micro-Finance office after killing the first watchman, then escaped with four laptops and then proceeded to the IEBC offices where they stole three laptops and killing the second watchman. “We suspect that he may have been involved with a series of major robberies in this area, that is why we want to hold him for questioning to cement our evidence,” said Ethaiba.
The incident comes days after IEBC offices in Mombasa were moved from the Old Town area-near Central Police Station, to the much safer State House area, where the GSU, AP and police headquarters are located. The IEBC North Coast coordinator, Amina Masood, said it is a much safer in the area.
IEBC officers have in the past raised concern that they need security escorts when on voter sensitisation exercises due to the rising tension. Similar exercise in Malindi and Kilifi were disrupted by a section of residents leading to the destruction of property. The MRC however denied any involvement in the attacks. After the incident, Ethaiba confirmed that five people had recorded statements with the police.
