Police have revealed chilling details about a gang that targeted high-end vehicles along the busy Nairobi-Mombasa Highway before their arrest in Machakos.
The three suspects — Richard Otieno, Jane Muthui, and Pinieli Vavai Lemomo, a Tanzanian national — were arraigned at the Machakos Law Courts following their dramatic arrest by officers from Konza Police Station.
The trio is believed to be part of a criminal network that has been trailing and attacking motorists, mostly those driving luxury cars such as Range Rovers and Toyota Prados.
Investigators say the gang operated in the dead of night, often posing as stranded passengers or deploying spikes on the road to stop unsuspecting drivers.
Once the vehicles slowed down or stopped, the gang would emerge with crude weapons, overpower the drivers, and steal valuables before fleeing in the stolen cars.
In a recent case that triggered their arrest, a Range Rover was carjacked, prompting a manhunt that led to the suspects’ capture near Konza.
Lemomo, who had no identification documents, raised further suspicion, with police now involving Interpol to determine his identity and possible links to cross-border crimes.
During the court session, Machakos Senior Principal Magistrate B Koech granted the prosecution’s request to detain the suspects for 15 days at Machakos Police Station. The magistrate noted the seriousness of the charges and the need for thorough investigations.
“The suspects will remain in custody until June 23, 2025, when the case will be mentioned again,” Magistrate Koech ruled.
Police are now urging motorists to be extra cautious while using highways at night and have launched further investigations to dismantle the wider gang network believed to be operating along the route.
By Kenyans