Nairobi — Detectives have arrested five suspects believed to be part of a violent gang that has been attacking truck drivers and motorists along the Thika–Nyeri and Thika–Embu highways.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the arrests follow weeks of coordinated operations involving the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau, the Operations Assist Team, and DCI Gatanga. The suspects are accused of posing as police or tax officials before robbing cargo transporters.
“These suspects have been targeting drivers under the guise of conducting routine checks before assaulting and stealing from them,” the DCI said in a statement.
The investigation began after two robberies were reported at Kutus and Wanguru Police Stations, where drivers were ambushed by men in jungle fatigues and reflector jackets. Victims were reportedly handcuffed, locked in car trunks, and abandoned as their trucks were driven away and stripped of goods.
One of the most serious incidents took place on October 8, when a driver delivering 450 bales of Raha Premium maize flour from Jomax Millers Limited to Nairobi was attacked and dumped miles away. The lorry was later found abandoned in Njiru, Nairobi, its cargo gone.
Days later, the same gang attempted another heist, this time pretending to be officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority. The alert driver, aware of the earlier attack, managed to flee and alert authorities.
In another case, a driver ferrying KSh 5.4 million worth of Colgate products from Nairobi to Embu was ambushed and left stranded in Ndarugu-Witeithie. Detectives later traced the stolen goods to a building in Embu, exposing the gang’s wider operation.
Following days of surveillance and forensic analysis, detectives cornered the suspects. On October 24, a sting operation led to the arrest of Festus Kandiki Kanyaru in Ruiru. Police say he confessed and named his accomplices, revealing that 400 bales of maize flour had been sold to a businessman in Eastleigh.
The following day, Bundi Stanley Kaumbiri, also known as Bamu, was arrested at his miraa shop in South B. A subsequent raid at a house in Pipeline uncovered toy pistols, military fatigues, handcuffs, and a Maasai whip—items police believe were used in the robberies. Both men were arraigned and detectives granted 14 days to complete investigations.
In a fresh twist, three more suspects—Khalid Abdirahman Mohammed, Shueb Ahmed Hussein, and Yusuf Nur Abdullahi—were arrested in Eastleigh for handling stolen maize flour. Detectives recovered two bales of the stolen consignment from a store in the area.
The five suspects remain in custody as police continue their search for two other gang members still on the run.
The DCI has urged drivers and transporters to remain cautious, especially when stopped by individuals claiming to be law enforcement officers.
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