Detectives have arrested a man accused of staging a gunpoint robbery against a charcoal vendor in Mukurweini, Nyeri County, where the trader lost Ksh200,000.
In a statement on Wednesday, September 17, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the suspect, identified as James Kanyi Gachara, was arrested following a complaint filed by the victim.
"Detectives drawn from the Operations Action Team (OAT) and the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) have arrested a robbery-with-violence suspect who staged a gunpoint heist against a charcoal vendor, making away with Ksh200,000 in Mukurweini Sub-County," the statement read.
According to the DCI, the suspect lured the victim with a supposed lucrative deal, ordering 20 sacks of charcoal.
"Preliminary investigations reveal that the vendor, who operates a charcoal business in Mukurweini town, was lured by the suspect under the guise of a lucrative deal. Posing as a customer, Gachara informed him that a friend required 20 sacks of charcoal. Although the trader had insufficient stock, he quickly mobilised his suppliers to meet the demand," the statement added.
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However, according to the investigating agency, once the order was ready, the trader was ambushed and robbed the money from his bank account.
"Once the charcoal had been sourced, the unsuspecting vendor was ambushed by a numberless Toyota Prado SUV. The suspect, together with his accomplices, forced the victim into the vehicle, where he was assaulted and coerced at gunpoint to surrender his Equitel account PIN. The gang then withdrew Ksh200,000 from his account," the statement further read.
DCI noted that the ordeal did not end there, the victim was dumped by the roadside after the robbery.
"After the robbery, the victim was pushed out of the SUV and held at gunpoint by a female accomplice before the vehicle sped off towards Mukurweini. Moments later, a red motorcycle picked up the armed woman, disappearing in the same direction, leaving the victim lying helpless on the ground," the statement added.
Forensic intelligence later helped detectives trace and arrest the suspect, who is now in custody.
"Thanks to forensic intelligence, detectives trailed down and arrested the suspect, who is currently in custody, undergoing processing pending arraignment.
"In the meantime, detectives are pursuing additional leads to apprehend and bring to book his accomplices who remain at large," the statement concluded.
Meanwhile, DCI detectives arrested Abbas Bardu Omuyoma, aka Ishmael, in connection with defrauding a Canadian investor of Ksh36.1 million ($280,000) in a gold scam.
In a statement on Wednesday, DCI said that the suspect was apprehended after the foreign national filed a formal complaint.
“Detectives from the DCI Nairobi Regional Office have taken into custody Abbas Bardu Omuyoma, aka Ishmael, a fraudster linked to a gold scam that defrauded a Canadian investor out of USD 280,000,” read part of the statement.
According to the DCI, Ishmael, together with an accomplice who remains at large, orchestrated the gold scam.
The suspect lured the investor with promises of 550 kg of gold nuggets and bars, purportedly sourced from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Convinced he was entering a legitimate deal, the investor transferred Ksh31.1 million, only to be left empty-handed when the promised gold never materialized.
Following the complaint, sleuths launched investigations, and through forensic leads, they trailed the suspect and arrested him along Dennis Pritt Road in Nairobi.
Ishmael is in police custody, undergoing processing pending his arraignment in court.
