Police arrest Southern Bypass robbery suspect
On the day of his arrest, the suspect had set up his trap to waylay his targets as was his norm on the road.
What you need to know:
- The victim, who sustained a cut on the face and fracture, recounted how they were targeted by the robber.
- Preliminary reports indicate that the suspect’s strategy involved positioning a massive stone to obstruct traffic.
The siblings who were brutally assaulted at Nairobi’s Southern Bypass last week have positively identified the machete-wielding man suspected executed the attack.
The suspect was arrested three days ago by police officers on patrol at the same road shortly after robbing another family whose car had hit a large stone that he had placed on the road.
Speaking to the Nation on Saturday evening at Karen Police Station, the elder sibling said they positively identified the man suspected of assaulted them and expressed hope that justice will prevail.
‘’We have positively identified the culprit. He is the one who attacked us,’’ she said.
She, alongside her sister, were the only ones who saw the suspect as their two brothers had passed out after being attacked by the criminal sustaining injuries on the chest and necks.
The victim, who sustained a cut on the face and fracture, recounted how they were targeted by the robber after she parked their car at the side of the road when their car hit a huge stone and two tyres.
As they were removing the luggage from the boot to access the portable tyre inflator, a lone man confronted them.
Despite pleas with the robber to pick whatever he wanted since their car boot was open, the man opened the car, picked up a bag and a few items then disappeared into the darkness.
He then came back a few minutes later and demanded for their mobile phones and other valuables.
The family was robbed of two mobile phones, Sh2,000, a Play Station and ATM cards.
Left helpless with her younger sister and two unconscious brothers, she crossed the road and alerted other motorists on the other side of the road who came to their rescue.
While she was raising an alarm, the brazen robber came again threatening her but other motorists had arrived at the scene forcing him to retreat.
It is at this point that the well-wishers rushed the family to hospital.
Moments after arresting the suspect, the police unearthed his modus operandi along the road that now has fewer users as parts of it are under renovation.
Preliminary reports indicate that the suspect’s strategy involved positioning a massive stone to obstruct traffic, creating the perfect opportunity to launch his assault.
On the day of his arrest, the suspect had set up his trap to waylay his targets as was his norm on the road that has recently experienced a hike in cases of motorists being attacked by criminals wielding stones and machetes.
Unknown to the suspect, there were police officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Lang’ata and the Regional Criminal Investigations Office who were patrolling. The officers responded after hearing a loud crash.
Upon arriving at the scene, they discovered that a Volkswagen vehicle had collided with the stone as it drove toward Ngong’ road.
The occupants in the vehicle told the police how shortly after hitting the stone, the suspect emerged from a nearby thicket and confronted them, robbing them of their valuables.
Seeing the police nearing the scene, the suspect dashed for the bushes but the officers gave chase and arrested him.
A senior officer at the station said that the suspect will help them in tracking accomplices terrorising motorists at the road and added that he will be arraigned in court on Monday, January 6, 2025 where he will be charged with robbery with violence.
