The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has arrested 15 suspected gang members along the Kisumu-Kericho highway with crude weapons.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

In a statement on Sunday, August 16, DCI said the arrests followed intelligence operations by the DCI Operations Support Unit (OSU), working alongside officers from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB), Nyanza Region, and DCI Kisumu Central.

According to the police, detectives acted on intelligence that a group of people suspected to be armed with crude weapons was travelling in three vehicles along the Kisumu-Kericho highway.

The officers intercepted the vehicles and arrested the suspects, who were travelling in a grey Toyota Noah and two white Toyota Hiace vans.

📌 What You Need to Know

"Fifteen suspected members of a criminal gang have been arrested, and a cache of crude weapons recovered following a meticulously coordinated operation in Kisumu County," DCI stated.

"The operation followed intelligence that a group of persons suspected to be armed with crude weapons was travelling in three vehicles along the Kisumu–Kericho highway," it added.

A search of the vehicles and the suspects led to the recovery of several mobile phones, assorted machetes and pangas , knives, ropes, a metal rod or club, and other items that detectives suspect could have been intended for criminal activities.

However, according to the detectives, one suspect believed to be the leader of the group managed to escape during the operation, with detectives launching a search for the suspect as investigations into the matter continue.

Some members of the public are alleging that the suspects arrested are a group of goons allegedly travelling to Homa Bay to cause violence at the Linda Mwananchi rally scheduled for Sunday.

However, these remain mere allegations, as this publication could not independently verify the claims, and police had not confirmed them at the time of publication.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke