Police hunt for gang as crime wave hits Nairobi City

At least three people have been shot dead in Nairobi by robbers since Saturday night.

There has also been an increase in carjacking of motorists and passenger vehicles, with money and property valued at about Sh1.5 million stolen, according to police records.

Most of the matatu carjacking have been reported within Buruburu division, while Gigiri division  recorded most carjackings, especially at the entrance of residences.

The city centre, though currently hosting a large number of people, has recorded the least number of violent crimes.

Police are now looking for a gang of about five men, believed to be holed up in Mbotela estate and who are suspected to be behind the carjackings of passenger service vehicles.

One of the victims of the crime wave is a young woman who recently graduated from the Kenya Medical Training College. She was shot dead on Saturday night during a carjacking.

Ms Mercyline Atieno Obok left Umoja Innercore for town, where she was going to collect a cake for her 25th birthday. She boarded the bus at the Umoja stage and the bus left for town through Buruburu.

The driver of the bus, Mr Bildad Gacheru Wanja, said he was driving past Metropolitan Hospital when he heard a gunshot from behind him in the bus. He stopped and three young men jumped out and escaped on foot towards Jericho.

They robbed the conductor of Sh6,450 before shooting Ms Obok in the neck, killing her on the spot. Other passengers told the police that she had refused to surrender her bag, prompting the shooting. 

MOMBASA ROAD

On Monday night, a man was shot dead on Mombasa Road, said police.

Mr John Muigai Kibe was walking near the Foton stage with his friend, Ms Kesia Wanjiru, when they were accosted by two men armed with a pistol.

The gunmen ordered him to surrender his money and phone but he hesitated. He was shot in the chin and died on the spot. The gunmen then took their phones, cash and Ms Wanjiru’s handbag.

The same night at around 7.30pm, five armed men carjacked a Double M bus and robbed the passengers of cash and property valued at around Sh200,000.

The driver of the bus, Mr Nicholas Ojwang, said he was driving from Umoja, where he had picked up passengers, but on reaching the Donholm roundabout, five of the passengers took control of the bus and started robbing the passengers. On reaching the Mbotela stage on Jogoo Road, they alighted and escaped on foot towards Mbotela estate. No passenger was injured during the incident.

On Monday morning at around 7.30am, Mr Jeds Pindoliga, an accountant with Kassan Ramji and Sons, was attacked near City Stadium by three armed men who robbed him of Sh500,000. He was hit on the lower lip and injured.

Gigiri police commander Vitalis Otieno also said police were looking for a gang that has been carjacking motorists in the area.

On Saturday, Mr Philip Kansara was shot by two gunmen, who attacked him at the gate of his residence as he waited to enter. The gunmen forced themselves into his car and drove away with him. They later dumped him with his car after robbing him of property of unknown value.

On Sunday, Mr Sagani Ashwin was driving in Thigiri Ridge in the company of Mr Harish Patel when he was carjacked by a gang of three men armed with pistols. The gang took control of the car and drove towards Peponi with the victims on board but later dumped them.

On Monday, three men armed with a pistol and knives attacked Mr Maxwelltown Ndingili and Kiberenge Maxwel in Korogocho. Mr Ndingili was pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital.

Police have also arrested a suspected gangster, Mr John Oduor, 26, after he was taken to Mama Lucy Hospital on Tuesday morning. The man had been taken to the hospital by his relatives, who claimed that he had been stabbed by unknown men.

He was, however, found to have gunshot wounds in the forehead, the upper chest near the collar bone and in the neck.