Detectives in Bungoma are on the hunt for a group of gangsters that made away with Ksh25 million in a daring bank robber on Tuesday afternoon.
The yet-to-be-established number of thugs raided Ushirika Bank in Kimilili town around 1:30 pm. They pounced just as the cash in transit was brought in from Cooperative Bank, Bungoma branch under the escort of police officers.
A heavy exchange of gunfire ensued, with the gangsters shooting and injuring two police officers and a manager at the bank.
Police officers Boniface Hamisi and Joseph Lomulen were shot on the thigh and knee respectively. The bank manager, Mr Kennedy Khalakai, sustained a gunshot on the left side of his stomach.
The gang escaped towards Chwele market and is believed to have fled into Uganda in a getaway car.
The injured trio was rushed to Kimilili sub-county hospital for first aid before being transferred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret town where they are said to be in stable condition.
“Our preliminary probe has established that the money, Sh25 million meant to pay farmers, was being escorted from Cooperative Bank in Bungoma town to Ushirika Bank in Kimilili town to pay coffee farmers before the thugs, whom we suspect had waylaid the security officers, made a daring attack and fled with the cash just a few minutes after the money arrived at Ushirika Bank this afternoon,” Kimilili sub-county police commander Mr Muita Marwa said.
The commander called upon the public to volunteer any information that might help them catch the criminals.
“This is a very daring attack by the criminals that our officers are probing and we want to assure members of the public that we shall arrest them,” Marwa said.
