81-year-old security guard murdered following robbery incident in Nandi County
By K24 Digital Reporter, November 30, 2025An 81-year-old guard was brutally murdered in the early hours of Sunday, November 30, 2025, during a suspected robbery attempt at the Chebonet Coffee Mill in Songhor Sub-location.
The victim has been identified as Joseph Bitok, a resident of Chemutia in the Chemelil area.
Confirming the incident, Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Tinderet Isaac Kombo said preliminary reports indicate the attack occurred at around 3:30 am. A gang of thieves is believed to have stormed the mill, intending to steal nearly 100 bags of coffee. During the confrontation, Bitok was fatally injured.
“We received a report at around 2:00 am that some individuals had attacked the coffee mill warehouse. When the police rushed to the scene, they found a security guard who had been injured and decided to take him to the hospital. Two people had already fled on a motorcycle, carrying a sack believed to have been stolen from the warehouse,” Kombo told K24 Digital.
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A swift response from police on patrol led to the arrest of one person of interest, said to have been transporting coffee on a motorcycle. However, two accomplices on the same motorbike managed to evade capture and fled the scene.
“One suspect was arrested on the spot by police, while another was apprehended later by residents,” police said.
The police have since confirmed that a second individual has been taken into custody, bringing the total number of arrests to two, waiting for arraignment.
The body of the deceased has been moved to Nandi Hills County Hospital mortuary as police continue with their investigations.
The murder of Mzee Bitok has raised serious concerns about the security of agricultural storage facilities in the region, which are often targets for theft.
This comes days after detectives arrested six persons of interest and recovered two Falcon pistols after a joint operation in Mutuati and Igembe North.
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According to the update by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, the six were linked to a violent robbery ring that had been under surveillance for weeks. Officers moved in after gathering enough intelligence and stormed their hideouts, arresting them before they could carry out another planned attack.
The detectives found two Falcon pistols and three live ammunition during the arrest. They also recovered two numberless motorcycles, stripped bike parts, and other items believed to be linked to organised crime.
The findings pointed to a group that had been operating for some time and was preparing for more attacks.