14 suspects arrested in Kitale criminal gang crackdown
Fourteen suspects linked to criminal activities in Kitale are expected to be arraigned in court after they were arrested today by sleuths in a multi-agency crackdown.
The arrest of the gang has been confirmed by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), who said the gang has been coordinating raids in the different areas of the Trans Nzoia County headquarters.
“The suspects are currently in custody, undergoing profiling and processing, pending arraignment in court as the crackdown continues,” the DCI noted.
During the raid, which was conducted in Umoja, Kisumu Ndogo, Tuwani, Bondeni, and Mitume areas, the police recovered crude weapons as they rounded up the suspects.
Among the weapons recovered are knives of all forms, shapes, and sizes, believed to be used to threaten victims before the suspects steal from them.
The crackdown in Kitale comes even as in the City Centre of Nairobi, there has been an alarm on the resurgence of Criminal gangs.
Former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko called on the National Police to take action, following a viral video of a woman who narrated the horrifying experience with roughly looking men in the CBD.
“Cases of thugs using crude weapons like knives, machetes, real and toy guns to steal from unsuspecting members of the public within the CBD have become rampant. Their main target is women,” Sonko stated.
Several Kenyans have come out in the past few days with similar experiences in the CBD, which has sent a wave of panic among those who frequent the town in the evening hours.
Following complaints for the county government to respond to the situation, Nairobi County Chief Officer for Environment, Geoffrey Mosiria, said that gang members disguise themselves as content creators.
The county official has urged Kenyans to remain vigilant while navigating the streets, warning of street families using human waste to extort money.
“Some even use human waste to extort money or valuables from residents. He stated that improper waste disposal and unsanitary practices harm the environment and create unsafe spaces that criminals exploit,” Mosiria stated.
