An outlawed gang that has been terrorizing city residents in Starehe, Nairobi has lost its leader following a dramatic shoot-out with police.
The suspect only identified as Ngaruiya was the de facto leader of the infamous Katombi gang operating within Mathare valley and neighbouring estates.
Together with four of his accomplices, Ngaruiya had on Monday evening attacked a pedestrian at gunpoint and his mobile phone and other valuables.
“So daring was Ngaruiya and his Katombi mates, one of whom was identified as Kabuda, that they staged the attack at 4 pm along Mau Mau road in Bondeni, Mathare sub-county,” the DCI said in a statement.
DCI detectives based in Starehe got wind of the attack and staged a manhunt for the notorious gang.
“The thugs who didn’t know that they were being trailed, continued with their brazen attacks against innocent civilians. After two hours at around 6 pm, the corporal in charge of the mission spotted the gang of five deep inside the informal settlement, adjacent to the river,” the DCI narrated.
A chase then ensued after the gangsters defied orders to stop.
“They ran towards different directions as Ngaruiya fired at the fast approaching detectives. In a sight reminiscent of a distillery plant, women who were busy distilling local brews along the river took flight, leaving drums of boiling froth & jerrycans of the highly potent spirit unattended,” the security agency noted.
During the shootout, police shot dead Ngaruiya while the other four thugs dived into the river infested with raw sewage and swam downstream to escape.
The detectives issued an ultimatum to the thugs to surrender within 24 hours, failure to which they will suffer dire consequences.
