๐๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง, ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ง
Four armed gangsters were fatally shot and a loaded Falcon pistol recovered after the suspects engaged detectives in a fierce gun battle during an intelligence-led operation along the EldoretโKiplombeโSoy Road.
The incident unfolded after detectives from the Operation Action Team (OAT), augmented by local law enforcement officers acting on credible information from vigilant members of the public, laid an ambush.
The suspects, who had been masquerading as police officers while terrorising innocent motorists and other road users, walked straight into the detectivesโ trap.
Cornered but unwilling to surrender, the gangsters opened fire. The detectives responded swiftly, triggering a fierce exchange of gunfire that left four thugs fatally injured.
However, two of their accomplices managed to slip through the dragnet on motorcycles towards Eldoret Town.
A meticulous search of the scene uncovered a Falcon pistol loaded with six rounds of ammunition, a homemade pistol, one spent cartridge, a hammer, crude housebreaking tools, balaclava masks, gloves and ropes, an arsenal pointing to a gang well-equipped for violent criminal missions.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects are part of an organised criminal gang that has, since late last year, been impersonating police and military officers while carrying out violent robberies across the Rift Valley region.
Armed with an AK-47 rifle and a pistol, the gang allegedly exploited the uniforms to lower the guard of unsuspecting victims before striking with precision.
Investigators are also analysing forensic and other evidence to establish the gang's involvement in a robbery with violence incident reported at Gathioro Police Station, during which a PCEA reverend was murdered, as well as other crimes across the region.
Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) detectives processed the scene, and the bodies of the four thugs were moved to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital Mortuary pending post-mortem and identification.
The recovered Falcon pistol has since been forwarded to the National Police Service Forensic Laboratory (NPSFL), where ballistic experts will determine whether it was used in other crimes, a crucial step that could unlock more investigations.
Meanwhile, detectives have intensified the hunt for the gangโs fleeing accomplices, as the dragnet tightens around those still on the run.
The DCI commends members of the public whose timely information proved instrumental in the operation and urges Kenyans to continue reporting suspicious persons and criminal activities. Public vigilance remains one of the strongest weapons in the fight against crime.
#FichuaKwaDCI. Call 0800 722 203 (Toll-free) or WhatsApp at 0709 570 000 to report anonymously. Usiogope!
