NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 11 — Detectives have arrested an ex-convict accused of orchestrating a string of violent robberies across parts of Meru County, bringing an end to weeks of fear among residents in the Igembe region.
In a statement Tuesday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said detectives from its Meru offices, working jointly with the Kenya Police Service (KPS) and the Administration Police Service (APS), arrested Jason Kobia Mucoka, 47, an ex-convict linked to a wave of robberies in Mutuati, Laare, Maua and surrounding areas.
Investigators said Mucoka had recently been released from prison after serving a 15-year sentence for the murder of his brother, before allegedly returning to crime.
Authorities claim he later armed himself with an illegal firearm and assembled a gang to carry out violent robberies in the region.
“He armed himself with an illegal firearm, recruited criminal gangs — some already in custody while others are still being pursued — and brazenly threatened to shoot anyone who dared challenge him in the Kabachi area,” the DCI said Wednesday.
Acting on intelligence, the multi-agency team mounted an operation that led to his arrest.
Concealed weapon
During interrogation, detectives said Mucoka directed them to a hidden weapons cache near his home, where officers recovered a Pachet submachine gun loaded with six rounds of 9mm ammunition concealed in a nearby miraa plantation.
The firearm and ammunition have been secured as exhibits and will undergo forensic analysis at the National Police Forensic Laboratory to determine whether they were used in other crimes.
Mucoka remains in police custody and was expected to be arraigned in court Wednesday to face several charges, including robbery with violence, illegal possession of a firearm and threats to kill.
Investigators said efforts are ongoing to track down his accomplices, some of whom are already in custody while others remain at large.
Authorities are also seeking to establish the source of the firearm and the network behind the supply of ammunition.
The DCI reiterated its commitment to dismantling organized crime and assured the public that security agencies will continue pursuing criminals across the country.
