Police in Nakuru have arrested a sixth suspect believed to be a member of a notorious gang that on June 1 opened fire at police officers on foot patrol, killing one and injuring two.
Elijah Kimani Kinyanjui was arrested by investigators handling the case in an operation conducted at Mzee wa Nyama area.
The investigators found the suspect in possession of items believed to have been violently robbed from a resident in Pakawa area at gun point.
“Suspect handed over to Nakuru East detectives and to be enjoined in the case facing the earlier charged accomplices,” the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) reports.
This comes as five other suspects were rounded up by authorities, in a concerted effort to rid Nakuru County of gangsters terrorising residents in the recent past.
The suspects were arrested from their hideouts by the team drawn from DCI’s Operation Action Team and Crime Research Bureau and their Nakuru counterparts.
After interrogating the suspects, police proceeded to Rhoda area of Nakuru, where an AK 47 (serial number 18916) loaded with three rounds of ammunition was found concealed in dry grasses near a residential house.
Shop owner shot dead
The detectives say this is the firearm that released the bullet that killed the police officer.
Authorities say that the same gang is also responsible for the violent robbery at a shop in Soilo area that saw a 24-year-old owner attacked with machetes and daggers, before hundreds of thousands were stolen from his shop.
“After the daring robbery, they dragged the already suppressed young man from the shop and shot him dead. Several other incidents have been reported across the County,” the DCI adds.
The five have since been identified as; William Nywhili Rioba, Nyahili Nyamuhaga Magige, Emmanuel Muita Muita, Catherine Nkatha Zakayo and Peter Chacha.
