Police are pursuing suspected gangsters who sprayed bullets on a tycoon's car in a night ambush along the busy Embu highway on Monday, September 19.
The businessman was on his way back home after running his daily errands when five gunmen ambushed him. According to police reports, the assailants had trailed him using a pickup.
They blocked his car and unleashed a hail of bullets that left him with severe injuries on the neck.
The attackers, who did not steal anything, fled from the crime scene, leaving the Embu businessman unconscious. His friend, who was in the passenger seat, escaped unhurt as the gun-totting thugs aimed at the driver's side.
He was rushed to Embu Referral Hospital with a bullet lodged in his body. The renowned tycoon was later transferred to Nairobi for specialised treatment.
"The gangsters left without stealing anything from the trader, and we have commenced investigations to establish why the victim was shot," Embu West sub-county police boss Julius Kyumbule stated.
The incident sent panic waves in Embu, with traders calling on law enforcement officers to contain the situation. They lamented that cases of crime had gone up in the region, with criminals mostly targeting traders running the show.
On June 9, another businessman, Dennis Mbae, suffered a similar fate after unknown gunmen sprayed his vehicle with 16 bullets.
The businessman-cum politician was pronounced dead after being rushed to Embu Level Five Hospital. Onlookers explained that the attackers accosted the businessman up to his gate before opening fire.
They then sped off without stealing anything. Police later released a statement explaining that the businessman was on their radar over different past crimes.
Police tied a series of burglary and mugging incidents within Embu town to his name. His family, however, refuted the claims, noting that he was a legit businessman calling for speedy investigations.
