Suspected leader of notorious gang behind M-Pesa robberies arrested in Kayole

Police officers in Kayole, Nairobi, have apprehended the suspected leader of a gang that has been linked to a string of robberies witnessed in the city over the past few days.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), in a statement released on Tuesday, said John Mutiso Makau alias Katitu was arrested after a dramatic chase in Kayole's Matopeni area.

According to DCI, Katitu, who is believed to have returned to the country from an Al Shabaab camp in Somalia, engaged in a 3-kilometre chase with one Inspector Gicharu before being pinned down and whisked away in a police car.

Prior to his arrest, DCI said that they had arrested two of his accomplices identified as Brian Wambua Mbindyo and Danson Musyoka Mulee. 

"Residents who watched the unfolding chase from their windows and halfway shut doors described how Gicharu pounced on the thug's shoulders pinning him on the ground, before he went for his jugular. A struggle then ensued as the detective handcuffed the determined thug before the police vehicle arrived and whisked away the criminal," wrote DCI.

A manhunt for the thugs was launched on October 31 when the trio allegedly shot dead 38-year-old Nicodemus Mbuvi Munyasya, who was walking out of Donholm’s Family Bank with a carrier bag.

Munyasya, who worked as a clerk at Extra Paints Manufacturing Limited, had deposited a cheque in the bank and was walking out the building when he was accosted by the thugs.

"Immediately he stepped out of the banking hall, two thugs on a motorbike accosted him and a scuffle ensued as the thugs snatched the bag from Munyasia, assuming that it contained a wad of cash," wrote DCI.

"When Munyasia resisted, he was shot at four times, three times on his legs and once in his chest by the fleeing thugs."

DCI added that three days before this incident, the trio allegedly accosted a woman in Umoja estate and shot her on the ankle, making away with her handbag.

"Regina Chege, was approaching the gate to her house at around 9:30pm when the thugs on a motorbike struck," said DCI.

The three are also suspected to be behind another robbery reported at Embakasi Police Station on October 19, where one Dennis Musyoki and his wife who operates an M-Pesa outlet, were attacked at gun point as they walked home. 

Elsewhere, they accosted retired Managing Director of Coast Development Authority, James Kahindi, when he arrived at the gate of his compound in April.

The robbery attempt turned futile, however injuring his house help who was then rushed to Nairobi Women’s Hospital in stable condition. 

"He was parking his vehicle at his home in Gataka, Ongata Rongai, when two men opened the doors to his vehicle, a Toyota Hilux. Kahindi, a licensed firearm holder reached for his Ceska pistol and fired two shots in the air, as the terrified thugs scampered for dear life," said DCI.

Preliminary investigations show that the firearm used in all four robberies was the same. They also recovered 18 rounds of ammunition from Katitu’s house in Fedha estate.

Detectives have since established that one of Katitu’s alleged accomplices, Musyoka, has a past criminal record and had been involved in various bank heists before going into hiding. 

"When he realized that he was on our radar, he retreated to his rural home in Matuu where he put up a modest home. Musyoka had recently sneaked back to the city where he teamed up with Katitu and Mbindyo to terrorize city residents," said DCI. 

"Aware that our hawk-eyed detectives were on his trail, he changed tact from bank robberies to ferrying his accomplices to scenes of crime. He moved around in a red motorcycle that would be spotted bearing registration numbers KMF 265Y and KMGF 588H."

In his confession to the police, Musyoka revealed that they preferred using motorbikes as their getaway means.

DCI has also learnt that Mbindyo was in-charge of surveillance and his duties included going round M-Pesa shops in city estates gathering information on the shops transacting large amounts of cash, before sharing his findings with his accomplices. 

Mbindyo also confessed that he would remain at the crime scenes and offer misleading eye-witness accounts to detectives and members of the press. 

He would only leave the scene after ensuring that he has tampered with every detail that would incriminate his accomplices.

Meanwhile, an ongoing manhunt on a suspected fourth member identified as Willie or Ibrah is underway.