Six suspects including four police officers believed to have trailed the accountant of Rophine International School from a bank in Utawala on Monday afternoon before breaking into his car and disappearing with Sh2.2 million have been arrested.
According to DCI, the six, three of whom are a police sergeant, a corporal and a constable from Kasarani Police Station, a police constable from Ruai police station and two civilians were arrested at the Kasarani Police Station public parking yard, by a combined team of sleuths from DCI Nairobi region and Kayole sub-county.
A total of Sh473,000 believed to be part of the stolen amount was also recovered from the six, who were ambushed in the stations official police vehicle.
In the earlier incident reported at Mihang’o Police Station at 4pm Monday, the accountant had withdrawn an amount in excess of the Sh2.2 million that was stolen, intended for the payment of casual workers at the said school.
“Unbeknownst to him (or otherwise), sheer-greed miscreants using a saloon car Reg. No. KCR 959D were hot on his trail right from when he parked his car outside the bank to when he left with the load of cash,” the DCI said in a statement.
The accountant had then parked his car outside the school, taken some amount from the withdrawn sum, locked the car and entered the school compound. Allegedly, he could not carry the whole amount.
Minutes later when he went back to pick more cash, he found the car broken into and the millions missing.
Meanwhile, DCI officers from Nairobi region and Kayole obtained crucial actionable intelligence and proceeded to Utawala area in pursuit of a suspect they had identified from CCTV analysis.
On arrival, the team learnt that the suspect had been picked moments earlier by unknown people driving in a Subaru car.
Further intelligence led the team to the Kasarani station, where the six were ambushed in a GK vehicle and forced to identify themselves in the presence of the Sub-County Police Commander, his deputy and the Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer.
They identified as Sgt Antony Ndegwa Anwal, Cpl Daniel Lekakeny Sunkuli, PC Simon Macharia Maina (of DCI Kasarani), PC Antony Mwenda (KPS Ruai), Lukas Magwaga and Young Wakise.
The DCI sub-county head confirmed that the arrested officers were neither on official duty to Utawala nor working under his instructions.
Upon search, Sh350,000 was found in the car and another Sh123,000 retrieved from their pockets. Further two motor vehicles, one belonging to the Ruai officer and another belonging to the 5th suspect (Magwaga) which were parked at the yard were detained.
All the suspects were placed in custody as further investigations continue.