Five suspects have been arrested as police hunt down persons who vandalised and set ablaze the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party offices in Siaya on Thursday, March 30, 2023.
In a statement on Sunday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the suspects were part of a gang that vandalized and torched the UDA property during the anti-government protests in the county last Thursday.
According to the directorate, Michael Ochieng, Phelix Omondi, Elly Wambani, Julius Odiaga and Godwin Omollo Ochieng, were arrested on Sunday following intelligence leads.
Police managed to recover exhibits including iron sheets and window grills during the operation.
“The gang of around 1,000 people had engaged police officers in running battles, before barricading the road leading to the Siaya UDA office and set it on fire after vandalizing it,” DCI said.
The gang is also said to have inflicted serious injuries on anti-riot police officers deployed to quell the protests.
“Armed with crude weapons, projectiles and petrol bombs, the thugs turned to the police officers who were responding to the violence and seriously injured five of them.”
Two police vehicles were also damaged during the incident.
The suspects will be arraigned in court on Monday.
“The five are currently in custody as appropriate charges are being prepared, before arraigning the suspects in court tomorrow morning,” DCI added.
Yesterday, police announced that at least 14 suspects had been arrested on allegations of causing violence during the anti-government protests in Migori and Kisumu counties.
DCI said the 14 include prime suspects identified as Isaac Odhiambo and Peter Ochieng who are alleged to be part of a gang that robbed Jamii Supermarket of goods estimated to be worth over Ksh5 million.
The duo was nabbed with some of the goods suspected to have been stolen from the store including foodstuff.
“The suspects include two prime suspects who were part of the gang that broke into Jamii Supermarket and made away with goods worth over Sh5 Million. Isaac Odhiambo and Peter Ochieng were arrested yesterday morning and foodstuffs including packets of Unga, Sugar, Rice and Tea Leaves suspected to have been stolen from the store recovered,” DCI said.
The two prime suspects were arraigned at the Kisumu Law courts under Miscellaneous Application no .E088/2023 and will be held in custody for ten days to allow for investigations.
The other 12 were nabbed in Suna East where they erected illegal barriers along the Migori- Isebania Highway and Namba-Kakrao bypass.
They are also said to have extorted money from members of the public amounting to Ksh2,645. The amount was in small denominations of between Ksh10 and Ksh 500.
