•The main suspect then led officers to a toilet at his homestead in Mugulu area, where a firearm loaded with two rounds of 9mm calibre was recovered hidden in a pit latrine
•The detectives also impounded a red motorbike registration number KMGG 124M, that is believed to have been the gang’s getaway means.
Image: Handout/DCI
Detectives have arrested two people suspected to be behind a series of crimes in Kakamega, Vihiga and Uasin Gishu counties.
The two were arrested in Kakamega by detectives from the elite Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau and are being held at Kakamega police station for further interrogation as the detectives seek to get more information on their operations.
According to the DCI, the suspects who have been on police radar in Western have been lucky to escape several police dragnets and fled to Uasin Gishu County where they continued with their activities targeting shops and other businesses.
In one of the attacks, two civilians suffered gunshot injuries on their hands and legs, as the thugs raided a shop at Elgon View estate in Eldoret and made away with cash.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations in a statement on Monday said the two were arrested by detectives posing as mukombero and jua kali traders.
The chase ended at River Lwatingu where the main suspect was arrested before he plunged into the river to evade justice.
“Posing as mukombero and jua kali traders, the sleuths had been in the streets and as many drinking joints of Kakamega in search of the suspect, before making their final move that also led to the recovery of a firearm,” the DCI said.
The main suspect then led officers to a toilet at his homestead in Lower Tingu, Mugulu area, where a firearm loaded with two rounds of 9mm calibre was recovered hidden in a pit latrine.
The detectives also impounded a red motorbike registration number KMGG 124M, which is believed to have been the gang’s getaway means.
According to the DCI, the two are believed to have attacked a senior DCI officer on April 9, leaving him unconscious in a pool of blood.
“The officer based at DCI Kakamega North had just arrived at his residence at around 3 am from an assignment in Nairobi when the suspected thugs who were on a motorbike accosted him at his gate,” the DCI said.
“They descended on him with a machete inflicting several deep cuts on his head before fleeing into the darkness with his Jericho pistol that was loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition,” the statement added.
It was after robbing the officer of his firearm that the suspects went on a robbery spree, targeting MPesa shops and pump stations.
Two days later, the duo staged an attack at Aziz petrol station in Shibuli shopping centre at around 9:30 pm and left with an unknown amount of money.
Two days later, they also attacked a gold dealer in Lwanugu village and took off with Sh55,000, eight grams of gold, mobile phones and other valuables.
“This is after they ordered everyone at the gold mining site to lie down and not raise an alarm. Nobody was injured in the incident,” DCI said.
The suspects are also believed to be behind the robbery at an MPesa shop at Mudete market in Maragoli In yet another incident on the night of April 20, taking off with an unspecified amount of money and mobile phones.