Three suspects linked to a daring highway robbery along the busy Nairobi-Mombasa highway will remain in custody as detectives intensify investigations into a series of similar crimes in Taita Taveta County.
David Karanja, Juma Jumamosi, and Josephine Mutie were arrested following a brazen incident on April 9 in the Ikanga area, where a lorry transporting gypsum from Nairobi to Mombasa was violently hijacked. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) revealed that the heist was carefully orchestrated.
According to investigators, the ambush began when one of the suspects suddenly darted from a thicket in front of the truck, forcing the driver to swerve. The vehicle stalled after veering off the road, making it vulnerable to attack.
“A group of about five emerged from the bushes, forcefully entering the vehicle with one brandishing a pistol. The driver and his assistant were handcuffed and bundled behind the seats,” the DCI stated in a report.
One of the assailants then commandeered the vehicle, driving it a short distance before ejecting the two victims about 300 meters away. The gang disappeared with the truck, which remains missing.
Karanja and Jumamosi were arrested at a hideout in Taveta. During the raid, officers recovered key evidence, including the vehicle’s number plate, a screwdriver, and two spanners. The two were presented before the Voi Magistrate’s Court on May 19, where police were granted a 14-day custodial order to continue their inquiries.
Mutie, also known as Nthamba, was later apprehended in Makindu on June 2. She was arraigned shortly after, and detectives secured an additional 14-day custodial order to finalize investigations and track down other members of the gang.
Authorities say the trio is part of a broader criminal network targeting cargo transporters along the strategic highway corridor. Investigators are pursuing further leads and working to recover the stolen lorry.
“The suspects will remain in custody as we intensify efforts to dismantle the syndicate and bring all culprits to book,” a DCI official said.
The case underscores growing concerns over rising highway robberies in the region, prompting calls for increased surveillance and security along key transport routes.
Written By Rodney Mbua
