Detectives based in Juja, Kiambu County, have arrested four suspects linked to a violent robbery at an entertainment joint in Kimbo village.
The suspected robbers who reportedly killed a guard at the newly established Midnight Gardens situated opposite GSU camp descended on the joint early on Monday morning, February 19, 2024.
Armed with various forms of crude weapons, the suspected criminals are said to have switched off electricity and later disconnected a standby generator which is the club’s alternative source of power before they tied the guard on duty with a rope and killed him using a power-enhanced metallic club.
According to Kiambu County police commander Michael Muchiri, police, in an intelligence-led mission recovered other crude weapons including a jack, a weapon resembling a gun which the thugs used to inflict fear among bartenders present during the 5:30 am incident.
Already, the criminals had managed to steal hundreds of thousands worth of expensive alcohol brands which are believed to be destined for sale in various markets.
The supposed criminals led by the prime suspect John Maina who reportedly operates a butchery in Ruiru and Utawala had loaded the expensive liquor inside a Noah vehicle with fake number plates.
The criminals are said to have concealed the identity of the vehicle bearing KDN 572N number plates with those of KDK 544F.
Muchiri told journalists that sleuths have been trailing the criminals for some time after they successfully conducted six similar raids at newly established clubs in the county.
After gathering information about their whereabouts, police laid a trap at the entertainment joint and as soon as they began their thuggery activities instigating an uproar, police officers descended on them managing to arrest four.
“We have had about six incidents where newly established clubs such as this are targeted and attacked by criminals using crude weapons. They steal alcoholic materials and stash them in sacks before loading them inside their get-away vehicle. This is a major breakthrough; we have been trailing them. They unfortunately killed a guard during the attack,” Muchiri said.
The county police boss noted that another criminal believed to have been a member of the syndicate terrorizing residents and investors is on the run but police are following crucial leads to have him arrested.
Jeff Wachira, the entertainment joint manager, revealed that they had incurred huge losses amounting to over one million shillings saying that they had just restocked the establishment before the criminals laid the attack.
“We had just restocked the club with expensive products before they sadly attacked us. We have lost goods worth about Sh1.2 million from the incident but we are happy that the gang behind the robbery has been arrested to provide answers as to why they have been terrorizing people in this area,” Wachira said.
Wachira lauded the technological investment installed at the club including CCTV cameras saying they hugely aided in the arrest of the criminals.
Area MCA Ngatha Wambiri who responded to the distress calls by the bar attendants called on the government to heighten security in the area by providing them with a police patrol vehicle.
Wambiri noted with concern that such crimes have been on the rise in the recent past and urged entrepreneurs wishing to establish similar entertainment joints to embrace technology to help combat such break-ins.
“This incident explains why we need a patrol vehicle in this area for our officers to help us in fighting crimes. It is also important for people wishing to establish such joints to embrace technology as it greatly helps in bringing criminals to book,” Wambiri stated.
He, however, lauded police officers for swiftly moving in to arrest the criminals and protecting them from members of the public who were baying for their blood.
