A major breakthrough has been recorded in the ongoing crackdown on a ruthless armed gang that has terrorized residents across Kisumu and parts of Western Kenya, following the arrest of a second high-profile suspect in a widening security operation.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), working jointly with specialized units from headquarters and Kisumu County, on March 18, 2026, apprehended another notorious robbery with violence suspect, bringing the total number of those in custody to two.
The suspects, identified as Dennis Odhiambo Miruka and Brian Makaya Mukaisi, are now at the center of a complex web of violent crimes spanning multiple areas including Milimani, Majengo, Jebrok, Kiboswa, Mamboleo, Riat and extending into Kakamega County regions such as Malava and Iguhu.
Authorities have directly linked the duo to a deadly escalation of crime, including a brazen raid on Nyalenda Police Patrol Base on February 27, 2026.
During the attack, several police officers and a civilian were injured, with one officer later succumbing to injuries while receiving treatment.
The gang made off with two G3 rifles – military – grade weapons that have since been used to execute a series of violent robberies.
In a significant recovery, one of the stolen G3 rifles has now been retrieved, a development investigators describe as critical in both evidentiary value and restoring public safety. The hunt for the second missing firearm and additional accomplices is ongoing.
The arrests build on an earlier intelligence-led operation that led to the capture of the first suspect, believed to be a key figure in the gang’s operations.
That breakthrough also resulted in the recovery of a getaway vehicle registration, KDH 812L, and stolen property linked to recent robberies.
Detectives have since connected the gang to a string of coordinated attacks, including a late-night raid on March 17, 2026, at Arena Phase 4 Estate in Kisumu Central, where armed assailants stormed a business premises and escaped with electronics and mobile devices.
Similar patterns were observed in earlier attacks in Kakamega South and Kajulu, where the gang used firearms, motorcycles with concealed number plates and crude weapons to execute swift and violent robberies.
Investigators now believe the group operated as a highly mobile and organized criminal network, demonstrating increasing boldness, culminating in direct attacks on law enforcement.
“This was a structured and dangerous syndicate. The recovery of the rifle and arrest of the second suspect significantly weakens their operations,” a senior officer involved in the probe stated.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has reaffirmed its commitment to fully dismantling the network, vowing to pursue all remaining suspects and recover the second stolen firearm.
“We will follow every lead until every accomplice is brought to justice and every weapon accounted for,” the agency said, urging members of the public to volunteer any information that could support the ongoing investigations.
While the dual arrests mark a decisive step forward, security agencies caution that the operation is far from over, with intensified manhunts now underway across the region.
