Police gun down five suspected thugs in Nairobi
The scene where police shot dead five suspected thugs and recovered two automatic pistols with five rounds of ammunition in Pangani, Nairobi November 3, 2011. The thugs were in a silver Toyota Probox and were confronted by officers from the Special Crime Prevention Unit (SCPU). A fierce shoot out ensued and all of them were shot dead. WILLIAM OERI
Police shot dead five suspected gangsters and recovered a stolen vehicle and two pistols with five bullets in Pangani on Thursday.
Officers from the Special Crimes Prevention Unit were trailing the men on Thika Road in a traffic jam before disembarking from an unmarked car and confronting them.
According to Nairobi police boss Anthony Kibuchi, the officers ordered the suspects to surrender but one of them drew out a pistol prompting a shoot out.
One of the men killed is said to have been involved in another robbery attempt where his colleagues were shot dead on Outer Ring Road few months ago.
Hunted gang
Mr Kibuchi blamed the suspected gangsters for several robberies in the city and its environs and claimed they had on Thursday planned to raid Mambo Supermarket in Pangani.
According to the owner of the vehicle Charles Gichari Maina, the car was hired by one Kennedy Kamau who said he had given the vehicle to his brother on Thursday morning.
Mr Maina, an employee of Nakumatt Embakasi, told Nation on phone that Mr Kamau hired the vehicle on November 4 last year for his business.
A car tracking company, he said, informed him that the vehicle was at the Pangani Police Station on Thursday morning.
Mr Kamau said his younger brother Henry Njenga whom he had given the car could not be reached on phone.
“He took the vehicle at 6am and promised to return it before 9am but did not and could not be reached on phone,” said Mr Kamau. He later confirmed that his brother was killed in the shoot out.
On Wednesday night, another robber was shot dead and three others arrested on Moi Avenue when they were found robbing pedestrian.
Police recovered two mobile phones, Sh8,000 and a toy pistol.
Elsewhere at the Nairobi Royal Club on Ngong Road, six robbers dressed as security guards broke into the offices and stole assorted electronics.
They then shot the guard on the knee before killed another one in a neighbouring compound and escaping.
