Seven suspects arrested after police officer is killed, two others injured in Nakuru

Seven suspects have been arrested following the killing of a police officer and the injury of two others in Nakuru town.

Police say an AK-47 rifle believed to have been used in the attack was recovered during the operation.

The arrests followed an intense manhunt after Constable Josphat Ruto was fatally shot on Sunday night while on patrol in Free Area, Nakuru City, alongside three colleagues. The officers were ambushed by armed criminals, leaving Ruto fatally injured and two others, Constables Saul Mutoro and Walter Makori, wounded.

According to Nakuru County Commissioner Loyford Kibaara, the officers were patrolling Freehold Road, a hotspot for rising criminal activity, when they encountered the suspects believed to be planning a crime. A shootout ensued during which Constable Ruto sustained a gunshot wound in the pelvic region and succumbed to excessive bleeding while receiving treatment at Nakuru Level Five Hospital.

Kibaara said Mutoro suffered a panga cut on his right hand and was treated and discharged in stable condition. Makori, however, remains hospitalised in critical condition after a bullet pierced his back and exited through his abdomen.

During the exchange, one suspect was shot but managed to flee with injuries. A subsequent multi-agency operation led to the arrest of seven suspects believed to be part of a gang that has terrorised Nakuru residents in recent weeks.

NAKURU GUN-GANG ROUNDED UP AS POLICE RECOVER KILLER RIFLE

A team of detectives deployed to hunt down a daring armed gang that had become the nightmare of Nakuru County dwellers has rounded up the five gang members and recovered the AK-47 used in their crime spree.

Acting on… pic.twitter.com/1C0i5fqhUU

— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) June 2, 2025

Three suspects were arrested at the scene of the shooting. The other four, identified as William Nyairi Rioba, Nyari Nyamwara Maluke, Emmanuel Mwita, and Catherine Nkatha Zakayo, were found hiding in a lodging in the Tahidi area, also known as Umoja Lodging.

Police say interrogations led the suspects to a location in Bondeni Estate where the AK-47 rifle believed to have been used in the attack was recovered. The weapon has been linked through ballistic tests to several violent robberies across Nakuru, including in the Pipeline, Pakawa, Ndege Ndimu, Ngata and Soilo areas.

A report from Bondeni Police Station indicated that the suspects were found in possession of four mobile phones, multiple SIM cards, a motorcycle, and bus tickets dated May 25, 2025, registered under Emmanuel Mwita for travel to Kehancha and Kisii.

Police also recovered three spent 7.62mm cartridges and one 9mm cartridge from the Free Area shooting scene. Commissioner Kibaara said ballistic analysis confirmed the 7.62mm cartridges were fired from an AK-47 rifle.

Further investigations revealed that the arrested individuals were part of a coordinated gang that communicated and organised attacks through mobile phones. Intelligence traced their movements and revealed the gang often regrouped at Umoja Lodging after criminal operations.

Among the four arrested at the lodging is a 45-year-old woman who runs a kiosk in Bondeni. She is suspected of concealing the murder weapon. Another suspect, believed to have been with the gang at Gilgil Bar before the attack, was arrested after a member of the public identified him.

Kibaara said one of the arrested individuals is a recently released ex-convict from Nakuru GK Prison, suspected of being the ringleader and resuming criminal activities immediately upon release.

Preliminary reports also suggest that five suspects hail from the Kuria region along the Kenya-Tanzania border and collaborated with local accomplices in Nakuru.

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Kibaara noted that more suspects remain at large and assured the public that law enforcement is closing in on them.

“We believe the gang is part of a larger network. Investigations are ongoing, and we expect more arrests,” he said.

He added that the nature of crime in Nakuru had evolved from minor thefts and fraud to violent robberies and fatal shootings, warning that authorities would not allow the situation to escalate further.

“The AK-47 rifle recovered is not registered to any police station in Nakuru. Forensic analysis is ongoing to trace its origin. The arrested suspects are cooperating and providing useful intelligence,” Kibaara said.

He urged the public to remain alert and report any suspicious individuals or activity as authorities intensify efforts to restore safety in the region.