NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 15 – The Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) agents on Wednesday arrested two women after recovering a sniper rifle, four pistols and an automatic sub machine gun at a home in Racecourse, within Nairobi’s Dagoretti Corner area.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations said the weapons were found in the custody of the two who were arrested for interrogation.
“The weapons were recovered from two ladies Joyce Muthoni Mwihia and her mother Goretti Mwihia, both of whom hold dual citizenship and live in Racecourse, Dagoretti Corner in Nairobi,” the DCI said in a statement.
The DCI also said investigators were combing through criminal records and efforts were underway to identify accomplices.
It is believed the weapons were sneaked into the country with a motive of staging a major terror attack.
The M4 sniper rifle has an effective range of 500 metres while the sub machine gun is capable of firing over 600 rounds per minute.
Detectives also recovered an assortment of over 3,700 rounds of ammunition of different calibre.
“Detectives are currently holding the suspects for further interrogation, as ballistic examination of the cache continues,” the DCI said.
Detectives have over the months thwarted tens of attacks linked to the Al-Shabaab terror group according to sources at the DCI.
The group has specifically been targeting critical installations like government buildings and learning institutions.
In March, three men were arrested and a cache of weapons recovered from them in a police operation in Lagdera, Garissa County.
The three were transporting eight AK7 rifles, 2,104 bullets and 20 liters of petrol along Baraki- Maalmin Road in Lagdera area when they were intercepted after a four-hour chase.
Detectives said eight empty magazines were also recovered in the operation.
Police termed the recovery a win in the war on terrorism and argued the weapons were to be used in an undisclosed terror mission.
In February, two people were arrested and AK47 rifle with 128 bullets and two hand grenades recovered in a police operation in Isiolo.
The area is seen as a hotbed of radicalization and terrorism with the police service scaling up deployment.
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