Three suspected thugs have been arrested in Starehe, Nairobi, as police intensify a crackdown on marauding city gangs.
In a police report seen by K24 Digital, Vincent Ndiritu, Kelvin Maina and Daniel Mwangi were arrested at the KCA underpass along Thika Road on Tuesday, November 15, by officers from Muthaiga Police station.
The suspects, aged between 20 and 25 years, were on a motorcycle registration number KMFG 511T.
Police said the trio was found with two sharp knives, sharp spoons, and small sharp metal, suspected to be weapons used to terrorise residents.
"OCS Muthaiga and team while on foot patrol along Thika Road, KCA underpass arrested three male notorious muggers, namely Vincent Ndiritu, Kelvin Maina and Daniel Mwangi all aged between 20 - 25 years. They were on board a motorcycle registration number KMFG 511T," the police statement read in part.
"Upon quick search, they were found with two sharp knives, and sharp spoons , sharp metal of about 15cm."
The officers also established that the motorcycle had no insurance and the rider (Vincent) had no driving licence at the time of the arrest.
"The motorbike has no insurance and the rider one Vincent did not have a driving license and all the three didn't have protective gears," police added.
The suspects were placed in custody pending interrogation and arraignment at the Makadara Law Court.
The KCA underpass was among areas categorised as crime hotspots in a list released by the National Police Service on Monday.
Yesterday, another thug was shot dead in Thika town and mobile phones suspected to have been stolen from innocent victims recovered.
Police said the thug was part of a three-man gang attacking members of the public along Cascade Premier Prison Road on Tuesday night.
"He was shot close to the jugular as he attempted to fend off the response by the gallant officers," police said.
Police managed to arrest one of his accomplices with the third suspect managing to escape through a storm water culvert.
Following the incident, the officers recovered two machetes, and a homemade firearm from the suspects.
"A numberless motorbike used by the thugs was also impounded by the officers who towed it to Thika police station as exhibit," police said.
On Monday, both the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said the government is determined to restore public safety in the various streets of Nairobi.
Kindiki directed the police to deal decisively with the criminal gangs.
He said the government was determined to restore public safety in the streets of Nairobi and vowed to take the fight to the criminals.
“Those boys who have dared the government and want to tell us that they can take over the city and make it a center of crime, we’ve heard also heard you and therefore we are coming effective immediately," he said.
To ensure police officers are adequately incentivized for their difficult and often risky assignments, the CS promised that a comprehensive review of the salaries and the terms and conditions of all security officers will be undertaken.
“Shortly the government will initiate a process of engagement with a view to relooking at the terms and conditions that our officers serve under while taking into cognizance that for a very long term now, the terms and conditions of our officers serve have not been reviewed with a view to adjusting them to the cost of living.”
The CS also had a similar message for cattle rustlers and bandits who are active in the North Rift saying the government will expand its crackdown to include those abetting the crimes including financiers, spiritual leaders and traders in stolen animals.
