Former Mwea MP Peter Njuguna Gitau is among five suspects arrested after detectives recovered two Isuzu lorries stolen in Murang’a County.
The vehicles were traced to Mombasa, where investigators say they had been fitted with counterfeit registration plates in an attempt to evade detection.
The arrests were announced on Sunday by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), which said detectives from the Operation Support Unit (OSU) had tracked down the vehicles after a meticulous investigation launched following the theft.
According to the DCI, the two lorries, an Isuzu FVZ with registration number KDQ 845T and an Isuzu FRR with registration number KDL 078W, were stolen in a brazen theft in Gatanga on August 16, 2025.
The vehicles are reported to belong to Murang’a County.
“Detectives from the Operation Support Unit (OSU) have recovered two Isuzu lorries that were stolen in Murang’a County,” the DCI said in a statement detailing the operation and subsequent arrests.
Investigators said intelligence-led inquiries led them to five suspects, whom the agency identified as Peter Njuguna Gitau, Mark Kinyua, Erick Chege, David Kigo, and Joseph Ndung’u Waweru. The DCI described the group as the masterminds behind this daring heist.
“Following the theft, a meticulous investigation was set in motion, and through intelligence leads, five suspects were arrested,” the statement said.
The case took detectives across county boundaries. After the suspects were taken into custody, investigators said they were led to Mombasa County, where the stolen vehicles were eventually recovered in the Makupa area.
“Upon interrogation, the suspects led detectives to Mombasa County, where the lorries were recovered in Makupa,” the DCI said.
Further details released by the agency indicate that both lorries had been altered in an apparent attempt to conceal their identities and frustrate tracking efforts.
According to investigators, the Isuzu FVZ originally registered as KDQ 845T had been fitted with a counterfeit registration plate, KDV 449C. The Isuzu FRR, registered as KDL 078W, was found bearing a fake plate, KCA 505D.
The DCI said the counterfeit plates were used in a desperate attempt to evade the long arm of the law, reaffirming what investigators believe was a deliberate and coordinated effort to disguise the stolen vehicles.
With the recovery complete, the lorries are now in the custody of DCI Gatanga. Investigators say arrangements are underway to return the vehicles to their lawful owners.
“With the lorries now recovered and safely in the hands of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Gatanga, plans are underway to return them to their rightful owners, restoring hope and justice to those affected by this crime,” the statement said.
The suspects remain in custody as legal procedures continue. “Meanwhile, the apprehended suspects remain in custody, undergoing processing pending arraignment,” the DCI added.
The DCI urged members of the public to continue cooperating with law enforcement agencies by sharing information related to criminal activity.
The agency reiterated its anonymous reporting channels under the #FichuaKwaDCI campaign, encouraging citizens to come forward without fear.
