Four suspects held in Nairobi over armed robbery, motorcycle theft at Embakasi firm

Police are holding four men suspected to be members of an eight-man gang that raided a company's offices in Embakasi, Nairobi, while armed with crude weapons and stole a motorcycle after tying security guards, drivers and turn-boys with shoelaces.

The four men in custody – Sammy Keya Jirande, Samuel Waithaka, Joseph Kungu and Peter Mwangi – were arrested after they were allegedly found with the stolen motorcycle's fuel tank and its ignition key in Kariokor, Starehe Sub-County.

The criminals first overpowered and tied up the guards from Flashbase Security Company stationed at the Kentra Developers premises, before similarly restraining other staff and stealing the motorcycle.

Corporal Achieng Amolo of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Embakasi offices secured a 10-day detention order from the Makadara Law Courts to complete investigations into the robbery.

Cpl. Achieng stated that the main suspects in the robbery are still at large, and the four arrested individuals may have been involved in planning the crime, facilitating the escape, storing the stolen motorcycle, or having information about its location.

The detective told the court that she is investigating the serious offence of robbery with violence contrary to section 296 (2) of the Penal Code.

"The matter under investigation was prompted following a report that was made at the Mombasa Road police station by one Dominic Kisavi, the director of Flashbase Security Company, about the robbery with violence incident that took place at Kentra Developers," stated Cpl. Achieng in her affidavit.

"He (Kisavi) received a call from their company's operations manager that their security guards at Kentra Developers had been robbed by eight men armed with crude weapons and their company motorcycle registration number KMGP 154M stolen."

Kisavi visited the location of the robbery, where he found security guards, drivers and turn-boys tied with shoelaces and all lying on the ground.

Tracking motorcycle

By the time police and the private security firm's officials started tracing the motorcycle through its tracking device, its location was changing fast, an indication that it was moving.

Police and officials of the security company traced the bike until they found its fuel tank placed between two motorcycles and the four men.

Cpl. Achieng told the court that preliminary investigations revealed that the four suspects were aware of the location of the motorcycle and made no efforts to report or explain its presence, and their accomplices involved in the robbery are still at large, but the four can help in apprehending them.

She told the court in an affidavit that one of the men in custody had acknowledged that he knew the one who gave him the motorcycle.

The actions of the four suspects raised suspicion of knowledge, custody, and concealment of the stolen property, Cpl. Achieng said.

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• motorcycle theft at Embakasi firm

According to the detective, the man found with the ignition key was seen trying to hand it to his accomplice during police questioning, which she said indicated an attempt to hide or shift responsibility.

"As some of the suspects involved in the violent robbery are still at large and information obtained from the (four men in custody) may assist in locating and apprehending them, we need to conduct an identification parade to possibly eliminate or place the suspects at the scene of the crime," stated the detective.

The DCI is awaiting call data records from telephone service providers to establish possible communication between the perpetrators and the four suspects in police custody.

Also pending determination is the ownership and use of the premises where the fuel tank and the men were found, since they have already disowned the yard.

Principal Magistrate Gilbert Shikwe granted the orders sought by Cpl. Achieng.