Burglars break into key govt building in Kisumu, steal property worth thousands

Police in Kisumu are investigating a case in which burglars broke into a building housing key national and county government offices and stole property worth thousands of shillings from two offices.

It is unclear how the unknown people gained access into the heavily guarded Prosperity Building and broke into the Ministry of Information (Kenya News Agency) and the Immigration Department offices.

The building also houses the office of Governor Jack Ranguma and several other government offices.

At the Information office, a laptop and a voice recorder were stolen while at the Immigration offices, two computer central processing units (CPUs), two personal laptops and Sh36,000 shillings were stolen.

Kisumu County Commissioner Mohammed Maalim, whose office is also located in the building, said a team led by Divisional Criminal Investigations Officer (DCIO) Jackson Kieti were already probing the matter.

AP OFFICERS RECORD STATEMENTS

He said a number of officers, including Administration Police officers who were guarding the building at night, were recording statements.

“As you know, this building is one of the key vital installations that is given 24-hour security. For thugs to penetrate, it leaves us with a lot of questions,” said Mr Maalim.

“The government is investing a lot to ensure our policy of making our services electronic is achieved and we cannot condone such losses or laxity on the part of officers who are supposed to make sure the facility is given utmost attention in terms of security,” he added.

The thugs are said to have made an attempt to break into the Immigration office through its main door but failed to gain access.

They then broke in through the information office door adjacent to it after cutting a padlock.

It was not immediately clear why the two offices, both on the first floor of the 13-storey building, were targeted.

Mr Maalim said such raids on government offices were not new saying the same building has in the past been raided and that similar cases have been reported in Kakamega offices in the past.

He, however, said they would ensure that those behind the burglary are brought to book.

According to Mr Peter Karoki, the Assistant Director of Immigration, Nyanza Region, the stolen CPUs were new while the Sh36,000 was a contribution by the members of staff to the family of their dead colleague who will be buried on Saturday.