Gangsters kill man in M-pesa outlet attack

A man was shot dead during a robbery at an M-pesa shop in Githurai 44, Nairobi on Wednesday night.

Wycliffe Rusinga, 38, had walked into the shop for transactions and stumbled upon an ongoing robbery in which four thugs wanted to steal money, police said.

Out of instinct, according to police and witnesses, the victim tried to help the owner of the shop by grabbing one of the thugs.

Nairobi deputy police boss Moses Ombati said it was in the process that one of the gunmen who had been standing outside stepped in, shot and killed him.

“He shot him at close range from the back and the bullet exited through the chest. He fell letting free the thug he had grabbed without knowing there were accomplices there,” said Ombati.

Gunmen escaped

Mr Ombati said the victim was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The gunmen escaped on foot without stealing anything and no arrest has been made following the 9.30pm incident.

Police said they have launched a manhunt for the gunmen. 

In Kibera, a suspected thug was shot dead after he and two others tried to steal the side mirror of a vehicle that had armed police officers.

The officers were riding in an unmarked car when the suspects tried to remove a mirror. One of the officers went for his gun and  shot one suspect as his accomplices escaped on foot.

Meanwhile, police shot dead a suspected gangster and arrested two others following a botched robbery near Nakumatt Junction on Wednesday. An AK47 rifle was recovered. 

Police say the suspects, one a guard at a private residence in the area, were riding on two motorbikes and had tried to rob a petrol station.