A driver and his conductor were arrested following claims of a staged robbery incident along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.
This was after a report was filed at Mlolongo Police Station by the owner of a lorry transporting materials from Mombasa to Nairobi.
The lorry owner told police the vehicle had been robbed on May 22 while ferrying 12 tonnes of galvanised wire.
According to the report, the crew claimed that as they drove past the Maungu area, a white Toyota Probox blocked their path and individuals allegedly made away with the lorry.
They further alleged that they were later tied up and left in a nearby thicket.
The crew also claimed to have picked up two hitchhikers at Samburu who turned out to be the suspected robbers.
However, investigators from the DCI in Voi said the lorry, which had a tracking device installed, was only stationary at Samburu for about two seconds, raising questions about the claim of picking up passengers.
The crew was also found to have made mobile money transactions in the Kasarani area of Voi, approximately 15 kilometres past the reported scene of the incident, after the time the robbery was said to have occurred.
One of the crew members made deposits of Sh2,000 and Sh1,500 on the same day, according to police.
The two were traced and arrested on June 4.
They were escorted to Voi to face charges including giving false information to a person employed in the public service, contrary to Section 129 of the Penal Code, and stealing by a servant, contrary to Section 281 of the Penal Code.
Efforts to recover the lorry are ongoing.
Police say cases of theft and robbery along the highway have increased, prompting wider investigations aided by technology.
According to police, some vehicles in transit, particularly those transporting valuables, have been targeted.
Investigators are also looking into whether some of the reported incidents may have been staged for commercial purposes.
The Nairobi-Mombasa Highway remains a key transport corridor, making it a critical focus area in these investigations.
