3 Ugandans linked to a spate of robberies risk life imprisonment in Kenyan prisons
Sifoli Wafula Samu, Alex Ogamba and Mohamed Musa Nabukalasi were today charged with robbery with violence contrary to section 296 (2) of the Penal Code at the Makadara Law Courts in Nairobi
Three Ugandans suspected to be behind a series of robberies in Nairobi, Western Kenya region and parts of Uganda are staring at the possibility of spending the rest of their lives in Kenyan prisons after they were charged with violent robberies.
Sifoli Wafula Samu, Alex Ogamba and Mohamed Musa Nabukalasi were today charged with robbery with violence contrary to section 296 (2) of the Penal Code at the Makadara Law Courts in Nairobi.
They were charged alongside their Kenyan accomplice Clinton Wafula where they are jointly accused of robbing businessman Abdikafi Mohamed of Sh1million at his restaurant in Eastleigh business district in Kamukunji sub county on February 3, 2025.
The prosecution told the court that the four men stole 300 United States Dollars, three Somali passports, a laptop and two mobile phones all valued at Sh400, 000 while armed with a pistol and knives threatened to use violence against Abdikafi during the alleged robbery.
The four suspects were also charged with violently robbing Abdirahim Mussa Abdi of Sh100, 000 at Twahid wholesalers in Pangani, Starehe Sub County, Nairobi on May 6, 2025 while armed with pistols and knives. They allegedly threatened to use violence against the suspect during the 9pm incident.
Each of the four suspects faces separate charges of being in possession of firearms and ammunition without a firearm license in contravention of section 4 (2) (a) as read with section 4 (3) (a) of the Firearms Act laws of Kenya.
Sifoli was allegedly found with a pistol and 11 bullets at his house in Saika Estate within Kayole Sub County at the time of his arrest on May 23, 2025 while Ongamba was allegedly found with an AK 47 rifle with 30 bullets at his house in Dandora estate on the same date.
Their accomplice, Wafula who hails from Moi’s Bridge area in Transnzoia County was also charged with unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition where prosecutors say he was found with a parabellum FEG pistol with nine rounds of ammunition at his house along Meru Road in Pumwani area of Starehe Sub County on the same day. The firearms have been recovered and will be used as exhibits in the cases.
Charges read in court were that the suspects did not have a license to hold firearms. The suspects denied all the charges before Senior Principal Magistrate Joseph Karanja.
Sifoli, Ogamba and Musa were charged with being unlawfully present in Kenya contrary to section 53 (1) (i) as read with section 53 (2) of Citizenship and Immigration Act of 2011, laws of Kenya.
Ogamba and Musa pleaded guilty to the charges of being in Kenya without a valid permit, visa or other lawful document allowing entry and stay in Kenya while Sifoli denied the charge.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) filed an affidavit in court to oppose bail and bond terms warning the court not to release the four suspects as they are dangerous to the public and are also a flight risk owing to the seriousness of the offences they are charged with.
Robbery with violence contrary to section 296 (2) is among the capital offences punishable by death sentence.
Although magistrates have a slight discretion to vary the penalties for convicts, convicts found guilty of using firearms during robbery are not entitled to an alternative penalty and therefore if the four suspects are found guilty, the court will have no option other than handing them a death sentence.
Police constable Richard Kalaine of Starehe DCI offices told the court that the four have been involved in six other cases of robbery with violence in Busia County.
Two of these cases had been reported at Butula police station, two others at Nambale and Bumala police stations and a case under investigation at Nambale DCI offices and another at Busia DCI offices.
“The (four suspects) are part of a coordinated criminal syndicate involved in multiple violent robberies in Nairobi, Western Kenya parts and Uganda,” stated PC Kalaine in the affidavit.
The suspects, according to DCI investigations, have been escaping on motorcycles after committing robberies either in Uganda or Kenya.
Karanja will rule on bail and bond terms on June 25, in the meantime, the suspects remain in custody at the Nairobi Area Remand and Allocation Prison awaiting the court’s decision on whether to release them on bond or not.
