Wanted Gang Leader In Siaya Police Killing Flushed Out From Nairobi Hideout

Police in Nairobi arrested a wanted criminal gang leader who was on the run in connection to the murder of a police officer who was escorting Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam papers to Mahero secondary school in Alego Usonga, Siaya County.

A report shared by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Wednesday, January 31 revealed that the 34-year-old suspect was arrested following a tip-off from members of the public.

"Edward Wanyama Mukanga aka Ramadhan Mukanga alias Abu Naiyah, 34 was the leader of the gang and a mastermind of the Siaya attack, where a police officer was killed and another one was injured and robbed off of their rifles as they escorted examination papers to Mahero Secondary School in Alego Usonga Sub-County in Siaya County on 20th November 2023," the statement read in part.

The suspect was arrested while in a hideout within Nairobi's Dandora slum on Friday, January 26, 2024.

Earlier, the police had published his name and photos as well as those of his four associates on the media and appealed to members of the public to share any information on their whereabouts.

"The National Police Service appreciates the swift action by members of the public that has so far led to the arrest of Hasting Omondi who was apprehended in Usenge Village within the Bondo area of Siaya County in December 2023," added the statement.

The suspect was presented in Kahawa Law Courts on Monday, January 29, 2024, where detectives were granted 25 days to complete their investigation.

Meanwhile, NPS urged the remaining gang members to surrender to the nearest police station. Concurrently, members of the public were urged to share any information on other wanted criminals to the nearest police post or through the toll-free number 0800 722203.

In the November 20, 2023 incident, two armed police officers and the examination centre manager had descended from a transport vehicle metres away from Mahero Secondary School, where they were to deliver the exam papers.

Unbeknownst to them, unknown armed assailants had lay in wait at nearby thickets, who immediately opened fire frenziedly killing one of the officers and leaving the other for the dead. Luckily, the centre manager escaped unhurt.

Police believed that the attackers took advantage of the rainy season that made the path to the school gate impassable for vehicles, forcing the examination coordinating team to be dropped a distance away.

On November 22, 2023, police gunned down two suspects linked to the murder of the police officer and recovered the two police rifles that were stolen by the assailants, that is loaded AK47 and HK MP5 rifles.

Rifles stolen by suspects who killed a police officer in Siaya while escorting KCSE papers. /DCI