Former Churchill Show comedian Gilbert Barasa popularly known as Mtumishi has opened up about his past criminal life, and the blunder that made him change his ways.
Speaking during an interview with Dr King’ori published on Monday, October 26, he stated that he was recruited into a criminal gang when he dropped out of high school over lack of fees.
The comedian developed a curiosity in the lifestyle after noticing one of his friends who resided in Kawangware always had the latest gadgets and trendyclothes. The friend took Barasa to his house and as they were talking a gang joined them. They explained that since he had been exposed to their plans, he had to join the gang.
“They said I either had to join the gang or die. We started carjacking vehicles in Nairobi. We would be given intelligence about certain cars or targets and we would execute the orders,” he intimated.
On one particular day, they mistook the number plates of the target car they had been given and pounced on flying squad officers by mistake.
The gang worked with three cars which blocked the target vehicle from the front, back and side.
“The group that was on the side noticed the police and took off leaving very few of us. The police came out and overpowered us.
“They beat us mercilessly with electric cables and intimidated us with their guns. I thought I was going to die and I said my last prayer,” the comedian narrated.
The gang was taken to the police station and interrogated. The police officers then let them go with a warning that the next time they crossed paths they would be shot dead. After that incident, Mtumishi said he swore to change his life.
Narrating other incidents in his past life, he explained that money obtained from crime did not improve his life - revealing that he would get huge amounts of money including one heist where he was paid Ksh2 million.
“We used to party and travel but kept looking over our shoulders. I used to charter flights to Mombasa and entertain women with the money.
“When I quit crime, I went to Mombasa to reflect on my life. When I came back to Nairobi, I only had Ksh 200 in my pocket. I hitched a ride on a lorry all the way home,” the comedian recalled.
He started rebuilding his life by working in a construction site and later became a security guard.
He concluded that his determination to change kept him grounded and help him not fall back to crime even when life became harder.
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