Five individuals were arrested on Tuesday by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for their involvement in a violent highway robbery ring that targeted truck drivers and motorists along the Thika-Nyeri and Thika-Embu roads.
The group, posing as law enforcement officers, carried out a series of audacious heists, robbing transporters of millions of shillings worth of goods before abandoning their trucks.
The arrests came after numerous reports of truck hijackings and highway robberies in central and eastern Kenya. The gang, which impersonated police and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officers, used military-style uniforms, toy pistols, and handcuffs to deceive drivers into halting their vehicles.
Once stopped, they would assault the drivers, bind them, and lock them in the trunks of their own trucks before offloading the stolen cargo.
“The gang, often dressed in jungle fatigues and reflector jackets, flagged down lorries under the guise of routine checks before assaulting drivers, handcuffing them, and locking them in car trunks,” said a statement from the DCI.
The robbers would then transport the looted goods to private warehouses in Embu and Eastleigh, Nairobi, before abandoning the empty trucks in remote areas. One of the most notable attacks occurred on October 8, when a driver transporting 450 bales of Raha Premium maize flour from Jomax Millers Limited to Nairobi was ambushed.
After being beaten, the driver was dumped far from the scene, and the truck was found later in Njiru, stripped of its contents.
Just days later, the same gang tried to hijack another Jomax Millers truck, this time masquerading as KRA officers. The driver, however, recognized the imposters from earlier incidents and managed to escape unharmed.
In another case, a truck carrying Sh5.4 million worth of Colgate products was hijacked on its way from Nairobi to Embu. The driver was abandoned in Ndarugu-Witeithie, and the goods were later recovered by detectives in a warehouse in Embu County, further unraveling the criminal network.
After extensive surveillance and intelligence gathering, DCI detectives arrested Festus Kandiki Kanyaru in Ruiru on October 24. Kanyaru admitted to his role in the syndicate and helped identify his accomplices, revealing that the gang had sold 400 bales of stolen maize flour to a businessman in Eastleigh.
The following day, another suspect, Bundi Stanley Kaumbiri, also known as Bamu, was apprehended in South B at his miraa shop. A subsequent search of his residence yielded military fatigues, toy guns, handcuffs, and a Maasai whip, believed to have been used in the robberies.
Both suspects have been charged and remain in custody as investigations continue.
In a new twist, three more individuals—Khalid Abdirahman Mohammed, Shueb Ahmed Hussein, and Yusuf Nur Abdullahi—were arrested in Eastleigh for their involvement in handling the stolen goods. Two bales of the stolen maize flour were found in their store. The trio is currently awaiting arraignment.
Despite these arrests, authorities are still on the lookout for two other gang members who remain at large.
The DCI has vowed to continue pursuing these suspects and bring them to justice. Meanwhile, a public advisory has been issued to transporters and truck drivers, urging them to be cautious and verify the credentials of anyone posing as law enforcement officers during routine checks along major highways.
“The Directorate of Criminal Investigations is urging transporters and drivers to remain vigilant and to immediately report any suspicious individuals posing as law enforcement officers along major highways,” the DCI said.
The operation underscores the DCI's ongoing commitment to dismantling criminal syndicates targeting Kenya's transport sector, a vital component of the country's logistics and trade infrastructure.
