Pistol used in Eastleigh shooting traced to serial robbery spree

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has established that the pistol recovered from serial robbery suspect Julius Osoro was used to shoot Eastleigh businessman Adan Ali Mohamed.

Adan was shot in the neck before being robbed of Sh3.9 million along Mûratina Road on March 26.

The ballistics experts found out that a spent cartridge recovered at the scene was fired from the Ceska pistol that was recovered from Osoro's home in Greenpark Estate in Athi River, Machakos County, on April 9.

In an affidavit filed at the Makadara Law Courts, Sergeant Fredrick Obiero said the investigations by the ballistics section also established that the pistol had been used in five other robberies in Nairobi and its neighbourhoods, that were under investigations before Osoro was arrested.

The pistol belongs to Dr Moses Kinuthia, a licensed gun holder who was robbed of the firearm and personal belongings at his home in Ndeiya Farm in Limuru, Kiambu County, on April 30, 2022.

The robbery was recorded vide Occurrence Book (OB) number 10/30/04/2924 and has been under investigation until the revelations by ballistics examiners.

The DCI says three other robberies were carried out in Nairobi where this firearm was used.

Two of the robberies were carried out in Kilimani as recorded at Kilimani police station where Ugandan national Moses Sessanga was robbed along Rose Avenue and OB 63/29/02/2024 where Ivory Coast nationals Nicholas Delag and Yaya Banse were violently robbed along Wood Avenue.

The same gun was used to rob businessman Abdikadir Sayid Karama along Juja Road in Nairobi, on March 28, two days after it was used to allegedly rob Mohammed.

Osoro was arrested along Dennis Pritt Road in Kilimani on April 9 and escorted to his home where police recovered the pistol and ammunition.

Detectives also recovered assorted motor vehicles, motor vehicle logbooks, laptops and mobile phones among other electronics. The DCI officers also recovered a sale agreement for a motor vehicle which Osoro was selling.

In an affidavit filed before Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti, Sgt. Obiero said that Osoro was committing the robberies with an accomplice at large and declined to reveal his identity during investigations.

The detective wants the court to consider the character and antecedents of the suspect, whether Osoro was in any gainful employment and the safety of the victims before deciding on whether or not, to release him on bond.

The detective said Osoro is likely to be a flight risk owing to the seriousness of the charges against him, and the attendant penalty upon conviction.

Sgt. Obiero was opposing bail and bond terms but Osoro's lawyer Moses Nyamanga opposed this application as devoid of merit and merely based on apprehensions.

Nyamanga said nothing was put before the court to show that his client was not eligible for admission to bail and bond terms as set out in Article 49 of the constitution and accused DCI of attempting to hoodwink the court into denying Osoro bond.

Kivuti remanded Osoro in custody and ordered a social inquiry of the suspect by the probation officers who will table the report on May 16 during the mention of the case.

This report will guide the court in determining Osoro's suitability for the bonds.