KDF soldier arrested for allegedly supplying bullets to suspected thugs in Nairobi

NAIROBI: A Kenya Defence Forces soldier has been arrested for allegedly supplying bullets to suspected thugs in Nairobi.

The soldier based at the Kahawa Baracks was arrested alongside three other civilians after investigations linked them a shooting incident in which a man was shot dead while his wife and house girl were injured in a robbery at their house in Ruai area, Nairobi.

The arrest came after one of the gunmen was shot dead by mistake by his accomplice last Monday at the house.

A mobile phone found on Julius Musee helped police to trace the other accomplices in the attack including the KDF man.

Police spokeswoman Ziporah Mboroki said three other suspects were arrested in Huruma area and several bullets found on them.

Musee was shot in the forehead by his accomplices as they fled the scene of the attack in which businessman Alex Kiambati, 41 was shot three times in the chest after he tried to press an alarm in his house as a gang held them hostage on January 5, police said.

Kiambati's wife Josephine and house girl Maureen Mutinda are in hospital after they were shot in the shoulder and leg respectively.

Kiambati had driven into his compound with a gas cylinder he had gone to fill at a nearby shopping centre when the two gunmen who had been waiting struck.

Police said he was getting into the house when the gang forced their way in. They then ordered everyone including his son to lie down and robbed the couple of their Sh2,000 and mobile phones.

And as the robbery continued, Kiambati reportedly tried to reach his alarm prompting one of the gunmen to open fire three times killing him on the spot.

He also shot the other victims and in the process, his accomplice was hit by one of the bullets, police said.

Police who attended the scene said the suspect later escaped in a car that had been parked outside the compound and no recovery has been made so far.

Mboroki said they are investigating to know if the bullets have been used in other attacks.

"We want to know if that is the main source of bullets used in the city and if they have been used in other attacks," said Mboroki.