Detectives based at Starehe Directorate of Criminal Investigations on Wednesday afternoon gunned down a notorious thug who is believed to be the leader of a Ruai-based criminal gang responsible for a number of violent crimes in the area.
Paul Mureithi Naomi alias Muruthi was killed after detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Starehe precinct stormed his rented house in Ruai’s Githunguri neighborhood.
Acting on a tip-off, the detectives traced Muruthi to his rented house located at Githunguri, in the outskirts of the city.
According to the DCI, during the operation, one of their officers posed as a barter trader, popularly known as “maree maree,” and approached Muruthi’s home to determine whether the wanted criminal was present.
“Known for high level deception while smoking out hardened criminals, one of the detectives posing as a ‘mali mali’ dealer had approached the thug’s neighbourhood shouting mareeeee, mareeeeee! while carrying some basins and laundry baskets,” the DCI said in a statement.
“He then knocked on the thug’s door repeatedly until the miscreant unlatched the door halfway. Niukugura mare? (Will you buy mare?) posed the officer. Dikwenda na dugoke guku ringi! (I don’t want and don’t come back here!) retorted the thug as he banged the door.”
After confirming that the alleged criminal was holed up in his house, detectives returned a few moments later, seeking an audience with the suspect.
Muruthi reportedly chose not to open his door, instead opening fire on the detectives through his window, prompting the detectives to retaliate with deadly force.
“Moments later, the thug was subdued and the sleuths gained entry to the house, where his lifeless body was sprawled on the floor. A Ceska pistol serial number B 681256 loaded with four rounds of 9mm calibre was recovered, while 11 spent cartridges littered the scene,” said DCI.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the firearm had been violently robbed from a civilian firearm holder a week ago. During the ugly incident, the civilian also lost valuables worth over half a million shillings.
Crime scene detectives based at the DCI National Forensic Laboratory, processed the scene as the body of the deceased was moved to the city mortuary.
