Two of six suspected thugs who robbed Unaitas Sacco bank in Mununga, Kigumo in Murang'a county have been gunned down.
In an update on Sunday, March 12, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the two were killed in Kinyona forest after a fierce shootout with the police leading to the recovery of Ksh1.13 million.
The sleuths say this was a "joint operation by officers from Murang’a county backed up by an elite team from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau" who "combed the Kinyona forest before coming across the two thugs who challenged them to a duel."
"Two armed robbers have been shot dead and two assault rifles recovered following a fierce shootout this morning in Kigumo, Murang’a county. Sounds of fierce gunfire rat-a-tat-tat-tat! punctuated by screams from hyenas whose territory had just been invaded woooo! wooooo! reverberated across Kinyona Forest at around 9 am, as the officers engaged the thugs who shot at them during the 9 am operation," part of the statement reads.
The detectives also recovered two police rifles.
Questions have, however, emerged after the DCI deleted photos showing the suspects in handcuffs, with a section of Kenyans accusing police of executing the suspects as sampled below.
You deleted this post.
1. They were arrested and tied up then ended up engaging the officers in a shoot out?
2. The unknown amount became 1.3 million after sometime? pic.twitter.com/FZ1gpmL1Y3— Jackson Nyakoe (@Jacksonnyakoe) March 12, 2023
Extra judicial killings must stop.@ODPP_KE @IPOA_KE @IMLU_org @thekhrc pic.twitter.com/Qx5vMuwZMK— Kimani Kariuki (@Its_Kimani) March 12, 2023
The guys were arrested and cuffed. How did they end up dead..?? There was no exchange of fire, hizo bunduki mmezitoa kwa ngunia. pic.twitter.com/aHK7guK3o3
— Gibbous 🌖 (@h_igah) March 12, 2023
The duo's bodies have since been taken to Murang'a Level V Hospital mortuary awaiting identification as a manhunt for the rest of the suspects ensued.
How robbery went down
In a police report, the Unaitas bank robbery happened Saturday, March 11 at 9:00 am when two thugs first attacked two officers - Martin Munguti and Daniel Mwangi - manning the bank.
The thugs are said to have been dressed in black private security uniforms with reflectors.
While pretending to be hawkers, they approached the guards and started wrestling before four others – two armed with AK-47s and two with crude weapons joined them and overpowered the guards to surrender their firearms.
One of the armed robbers would later shoot the ground near Mwangi's legs however he managed to pull out his rifle magazine which he threw in the bush nearby.
On the other hand, Mungutu was hit with a metal on his head forcing him to surrender his firearm.
"One of the thugs shot on the ground near Daniel Mwangi's legs but the officer managed to pull out his rifle magazine loaded with 20 ammunition and throw it to a nearby bush. Munguti was hit by a metal rod on the head by the thugs prompting him to surrender his firearm loaded with 20 ammos of 7.62mm. The other two thugs stormed the banking hall and rob an unknown amount of money. The thugs managed to make away using two awaiting unidentified motorcycles," part of the police report reads.
The other two would later storm the bank before taking off with an unknown amount of money and fleeing with getaway bodabodas that were on standby.
