Police deployed to hunt down a daring armed gang that had become the nightmare of Nakuru County dwellers rounded up the five gang members and recovered the AK-47 used in their crime spree.
Acting on intelligence leads, the team drawn from DCI's Operation Action Team and Crime Research Bureau augmented their Nakuru counterparts in a coordinated raid that saw the gang member flushed from their hideouts.
After interrogating the suspects, police proceeded to the Rhonda area of Nakuru, where the AK-47, serial number 18916, loaded with three rounds of ammunition, was found concealed in dry grasses near a residential house, County Commissioner Loyford Kibaara said.
Regrettably, the gang goes down, leaving behind a trail of sad memories and untold pain to the victims of their violent attacks. On the night of June 1, 2025, the robbers ambushed and opened fire at police officers on foot patrol, killing one and injuring two.
Police with the recovered AK-47 rifle./HANDOUT
In a separate incident, the gang staged a violent robbery at a shop located in Soilo area of Nakuru, attacking the 24-year-old owner with machetes and daggers before stealing hundreds of thousands from his shop.
After the daring robbery, they dragged the already suppressed young man from the shop and shot him dead.
Police said three men armed with a rifle stormed a shop and demanded cash and other valuables. This prompted a confrontation before the gang shot and killed Duncan Elias Mwambili, 23.
He was shot in the stomach and rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police with the recovered AK-47 rifle./HANDOUT
Police with the recovered AK-47 rifle./HANDOUT
Several other incidents have been reported across the county. An M-Pesa attendant was shot and injured in the Menengai area last week in a similar attack.
A man who responded to the scene was shot and killed by the escaping gang. The five arrested have since been identified as William Nywhili Rioba, Nyahili Nyamuhaga Magige, Emmanuel Muita Muita, Catherine Nkatha Zakayo, and Peter Chacha. DCI Nakuru East detectives are processing the suspects for arraignment on Tuesday, June 3.
The DCI reassures Nakuru county dwellers and, indeed, Kenyans across the country that their security remains the foremost priority and that several anti-robbery teams have been dispatched and are pursuing identified armed gangs whose operations have been analyzed.
The operations seek to bring to an end reigns of terror and rid the streets of armed criminals. The area has been experiencing a surge in crime, prompting the operations.
