Authorities have apprehended six men believed to have been masquerading as matatu operators to carry out robberies on passengers in Parklands. According to the police, detectives from the Operations Support Unit (OSU) detained the group, who are accused of violently robbing passengers, kidnapping some, and later abandoning them.
The arrests occurred after a public tip-off from an eyewitness who observed an incident involving another vehicle that was severely damaged by the fraudulent matatu on Kipande Road. Prior to the collision, it is alleged that the suspects had already kidnapped and robbed a passenger, only to be involved in the accident as they attempted to flee the scene.
The suspects, who pretended to be legitimate matatu drivers, had driven towards Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) and reportedly picked up a passenger from Kempinski. At one point, they allowed several members of their gang to exit the vehicle, leaving a female passenger vulnerable to their colleagues. “As they commenced their criminal activities, the woman began to shout for help, which led to a panic among the alleged robbers and resulted in an accident that exposed them to the public.
The concerned bystanders subsequently informed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) about the situation,” the police statement elaborated.
Upon receiving this information, a team of OSU detectives was swiftly deployed, leading to the capture of the six individuals. During the operation, one suspect was found with five mobile phones and a tablet in his possession.
Authorities are currently working to apprehend another suspected female gang member and have urged the public to provide any information that could assist in her capture.
