Five suspected robbers masquerading as matatu operators were on Tuesday night, October 13, cornered by officers in Buruburu, Nairobi County and were arrested.
According to a statement by the DCI, the five suspects were nabbed aboard a matatu plying on the said route.
The vehicle, which had been captured on CCTV cameras, was being pursued by a group of motorcycle riders who indicated that the occupants had violently robbed a man who had sought assistance from them.
"While the suspects were being booked in the Occurrence Book, the victim reported to the station, positively identified them and narrated his ordeal," reads the statement.
The recovered items have since been kept as exhibits and suspects are being prepared for arraignment.
Any person who steals anything and threatens to use violence to any person or property in order to obtain or retain the thing stolen or to prevent or overcome resistance to its being stolen or retained is guilty of the felony termed robbery.
If a person is found guilty of robbery, he or she is liable to imprisonment for fourteen years.
However, if the offender is armed with any dangerous weapon or is in the company of one or more persons and attempts to wound, beat, strike or use any other personal violence to any person, he shall be sentenced to death, the law says.
There has been a spike in the number of reported crimes in the last couple of months.
According to a comprehensive report released by the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) in May 2020, Nairobi residents stand a high risk of being victims of crime on any given day.
"Street crime is a serious problem, particularly in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kiambu, Meru, and other large cities. Most street crime involves multiple armed assailants.
"In some instances, large crowds of street criminals incite criminal activity, which has the potential to escalate into mob violence with little notice," reads an excerpt from the report.
