Police boss' stolen pistol linked to 15 robberies

A pistol stolen two years ago from a senior officer based at police headquarters in Nairobi has been linked to 15 robberies following the arrest of a suspected gangster in Kisumu.

The Jericho pistol, serial number KE KP 44333721, which was reported to have been taken from the officer on March 24, 2018, was seized by Kisumu West sub-county detectives on November 28 last year after raiding the house of a suspected notorious gangster identified as Fredrick Odhiambo Nundu, alias Gilbert Wafula Makokha.

The Sunday Nation has learnt that investigations have since linked the gun to 15 robberies in Kisumu’s Kondele and Milimani estates, Siaya and Bondo in the two years it was in bad hands.

An elaborate forensic and ballistic examination and data analysis conducted by the DCI headquarters-based Ballistic Department and the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau will be used in court.

According to an internal memo, Kisumu West DCI detectives, acting on a tip, raided the suspect’s house and after a search found the loaded pistol alongside a Ceska pistol with six rounds of ammunition hidden above the bathroom ceiling.

The suspect’s wife, identified as Mercy Akinyi, and two men — Enock Ochieng Ochieng and Edward Okumu Owino — were arrested.

DCI detectives have been hunting the suspect since the firearm was recovered in a raid at his Kisumu West/Seme home.

A subsequent ballistic examination on the firearm revealed that the gun was allegedly used in a robbery in Kisumu West’s Kisini village on November 13 last year at about 11:30pm when an unknown number of gangsters on a motorbike attacked and shot at a motorist, injuring him and a passenger.

Police found five spent cartridges.

A day before, the same gun was reported to have been used by three armed robbers at the Holo market.

It was reported that on November 12, 2019, at around 11:30pm, three suspects attacked a businesswoman who was collecting money from tomato sales and shot her as she was being driven in an Isuzu truck.

They robbed her of Sh17,000 and mobile phones.

 Four days earlier on November 8, the gun had been used in a robbery in Bondo township when armed men attempted to rob a wines and spirits shop after 11pm during which they fired three times before escaping. The incident was reported at the Bondo DCI.

The gun was again linked to a robbery in Siaya on November 3, 2019 when armed gangsters stormed Eunice Auma Ochieng’s house, where a pre-wedding committee was meeting, and shot Emmanuel Baraza Okoth in both legs at about 4pm before robbing them.

Police collected two spent cartridges from the crime scene.

It has also been established through ballistic tests that on November 1, 2019, armed men attempted to rob Dominic Onyango in Bondo township at about 8.30pm during which they fired once.

Kisumu West detectives also received a report that on October 13, 2019, at around 6pm at Ongalo trading centre, three armed men stormed a bar and ordered everyone to lie down before robbing them of valuables. The robbers fired twice.

Then on August 13, 2019, at about 6pm, three gangsters riding on a motorcycle attacked Bhayeshi Mandali and his teenage daughters as they were chatting the evening away at their Shamu Court home in Kisumu’s upmarket Milimani estate.

Two other gangsters attacked his wife, mother-in-law and another daughter. The gang shot once in the air and robbed the family of their mobile phones.

On August 7, 2019, at about 3am in Migosi, as reported to DCI Kondele, four men attacked a motorist as he was waiting for his night guard to open the gate.

The robbers fired one bullet at the gate before escaping.

Ten days earlier on July 28, 2019, at about 11pm, a two-man gang on a motorcycle using the same firearm attacked a motorist driving in Kondele’s Polyview estate. They shot twice at Eunice Ares and two spent cartridges were found by DCI officers at the scene.

Detectives have also linked the gun to a July 25 incident that happened at about 3pm. Two armed men on a motorbike attacked Francis Odhiambo and shot at him twice. Police found two spent cartridges and a live bullet at the scene.

 The biggest heist by the gang could, however, be Sh2 million robbed from a group in Kisumu on July 1, 2019.

According to a report made at the Kisumu West DCI office, a team of Inua Jamii officials had gone to Dago PAG Church to pay beneficiaries when they were attacked by three armed men, who took the money.

And on May 4, 2019, it was reported that at about 8:15pm in Kisumu’s Milimani estate, two armed robbers attacked a businessman and his family at their gate.

They shot at the driver’s side of the vehicle and ordered them to get out of the car. They escorted the wife into the house, where she was robbed of Sh300,000, four cheques of an unknown value and a Samsung mobile phone. The spent cartridge found at the crime scene linked the gang to previous robberies.

And in yet another robbery linked to the same gang and firearm, it was reported at Kondele DCI that on April 14 last year at about 3am, Margaret Mului, a resident of Polyview estate, was attacked by two armed men as she parked her car.

The victim screamed, attracting the attention of a neighbour, Daniel Indiazi.

But the robbers shot him in the shoulder and robbed him of Sh12,000.

The victim was rushed to Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu. One spent cartridge was found at the scene.

The Vigilance House-based officer’s gun was on March 14, 2019 again linked to an incident reported at the Kisumu Central Police. At about 8pm in Milimani estate, a motorist was confronted by three gunmen when she approached her gate.

The gunmen fired once at the vehicle and smashed the window before robbing her of Sh48,000 and other valuables. One spent cartridge was found by detectives at the scene.