Seven arrested in connection with Nakuru robbery spree; AK-47 recovered

The arrests followed a violent incident on Sunday night, when a police constable was fatally shot while on patrol in the Freehold area. Two other officers were injured—one in the stomach, the other in the shoulder—and are currently receiving treatment at Nakuru Level Five Hospital.

On Monday morning, outside the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) offices in Nakuru, security officials displayed an AK-47 rifle believed to have been used in the robberies.

Nakuru County Commissioner Loyford Kibaara said the breakthrough came after a fierce exchange between officers and the suspects.

“Our officers encountered the gang, and a shootout ensued at around 8:30 p.m.,” Kibaara stated, referring to the confrontation in the Bondeni area of Nakuru East.

Four suspects were arrested at the scene. They were identified as William Nyairi Rioba—an ex-convict released from GK Prison last month—Nyari Nyamwara, Emmanuel Mwita, and Catherine Nkantha Zakayo.

Police later arrested three additional suspects at a hideout in the Taidy’s area.

“What we have noted is that five of them are from Kuria, Tanzania,” Commissioner Kibaara explained.

“One was just released last month. We believe the suspects are part of a coordinated gang, and the information they provide will be crucial to our investigation.”

Detectives say 43-year-old Catherine Nkantha, who operates a small kiosk in Freehold, concealed the recovered AK-47 in a patch of dry grass near a residential house.

“We’ve sent the recovered cartridge to ballistic experts. So far, it’s not linked to this particular crime, but we’re following every lead,” Kibaara noted.

“We’re also working to trace the origin of the ammunition. We want to know the supply chain—where it’s coming from and how it’s ending up in the wrong hands.”

The arrests come after a tense period in Nakuru, particularly in Bondeni and Freehold, where a spike in violent robberies had left residents living in fear.

Authorities have promised to intensify patrols and crack down on criminal networks operating in the region.