Three DCI officers arrested over night robbery
The four robbers armed with two AK47 rifles and a pistol who raided a gas company in Matuu on Friday night were detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ Special Services Unit (SSU) using official police vehicle.
The daring rogue officers behind the seven-hour ordeal escorted an employee to the bank to withdraw cash and even directed the owner of the company to send Sh500,000 to their phones.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss George Kinoti said three of the four officers were yesterday morning arrested, adding that the directorate was dealing with all criminals, whether civilians or officers.
“We are dealing firmly with all the criminals and all the bad apples will be removed from the service,” he said.
Kinoti said the officers had received information that the company was illegally refilling gas cylinders from various gas companies behind locked doors past curfew hours, and decided to raid the premises.
The arrested officers have been identified as Constable William Mutua, Constable Henry Maitai who was the driver, and Constable Jonathan Sankale.
“The three were disarmed and placed in police custody as investigations continue,” Kinoti said.
The officer had on Friday night at around 10pm carjacked Julius Mathembe, a security manager at Baraka Gas Company and his driver at the Mathauta junction as they were heading to the company.
“Upon reaching at Mathauta junction, they were blocked by another vehicle registration number KBN 336L, Subaru Forester metallic grey in colour, with four male occupants. Two of them were armed with an AK47 rifles and one with a pistol and who introduced themselves as DCI officers from Nairobi,” a brief to police headquarters read.
Two of the armed officers got into his car and ordered him to drive to the company premises as the alleged police vehicle followed.
When they reached the company, the officers ordered everyone to lie down and took their phones. They then escorted Mathembe to the office and asked him why they were selling gas from another company. Mathembe however explained to them that they had an agreement to stock and sell products from Lake Gas.
The officers took the agreement and ordered Mathembe to give the Sh1million.
They bargained and the officers agreed to be given Sh600,000. The owner of the company sent the money to Mathembe phone and the officers escorted him to KCB Matuu branch where he withdrew Sh100,000. The service provider blocked Mathembe’s account and he could not access the remaining Sh500,000.
“Sh 370,000 was transferred to an Mpesa Till number, an agent number and two Safaricom lines in various locations, all which were traced back to the suspects,” Kinoti said.
The officers then called the owner of the company and directed him to send the money to two Safaricom lines. After receiving the money, the officers drove back to the company where they returned all the phones they had earlier confiscated to the owners.
They then drove away at around 5am, after the seven-hour ordeal. The matter was reported to the police and the OCS Matuu visited the scene.
Investigations were launched and yesterday morning, three officers were arrested by their colleagues from the SSU.
