On Sunday, police in Murang’a County shot and killed two alleged bank robbers, seizing Sh1.14 million, two assault guns, and 20 bullets in the process.
The police claim that after exchanging gunfire with the suspects in the vast Kinyona Forest, they were able to shoot the two while the other two managed to flee.
The two suspects were restrained with their hands tied together and were initially captured on camera by armed police officers who were surrounding them.
TWO GANGSTERS SHOT DEAD, FIREARMS AND SH.1.13M RECOVERED
Two armed robbers have been shot dead and two assault rifles recovered following a fierce shootout this morning in Kigumo, Murang’a county. Sounds of fierce gunfire rat-a-tat-tat-tat! punctuated by screams from hyenas pic.twitter.com/aJEwkN6AlK
— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) March 12, 2023
How the accused later managed to escape and stage a firefight that left them sprawled dead is still unknown.
Through a police signal, Murang’a County police Commander Mr Ali Nuno confirmed the incident.
An operation had been launched on Saturday after a gang of six robbers raided the Unaitas Sacco branch in Murang’a’s Mununga trading centre.
The gang first attacked two police officers guarding the Sacco, disarmed them, emptied the tills and as they escaped, shot a civilian in the leg.
The bank heist had been preceded by another February 25, 2023 incident when a gang of six robbers attacked two police officers manning a roadblock along Kangare Kaharate road and disarmed one of his AK47 rifle.
The police signal indicated that “the operation was progressing in Kinyona Forest where at around 0900 hours, the officers sighted two men in civilian clothes armed with G3 and AK47 rifles and also carrying a bag”. It added that when the two were challenged to stop, they defied.
“In the process, an exchange ensued and the two suspects were fatally injured and a recovery of G3A3 s/no J61009 loaded with 8 rounds of 7.62mm of ammunition robbed off from an officer manning Unaitas Sacco Mununga branch was recovered.”
The communication added that an AK47 loaded with 14 rounds of 7.62mm special robbed off a police officer on patrol within the Muthithi Police Station area vide OB 09/25/02/2023 was also recovered.
“A bag containing money which had been stolen at Unaitas was also recovered and confirmed to be a sum of Sh1, 137,370 in different denominations was also recovered,” the signal read.
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It added that the scene was documented and necessary police action was taken.
“The police firearms have been kept in safe custody and the two bodies taken to Murang’a Level Five Hospital Mortuary awaiting identification and autopsy. The operation is still on with an effort to track down two other suspects who were sighted but disappeared into the thick forest,” it said adding that the remaining loot from the bank is also being pursued.
