Robbers using petrol bombs terrorise Juja

By Wairimu Kamande

Nightfall in two residential estates of Juja town, Thika district, brings with it chilling fear among residents who have lately been subjected to terror attacks by gangsters.

Gangsters in this former sisal belt have resorted to using petrol bombs on their victims to force them to open their doors and be robbed.

At least five houses have been petrol bombed in the past one month at Gachororo and Sewerage areas and owners badly injured in fires started by the bombs when they declined to open.

Resident have sent out a cry for help to the police but many say the security machinery appears lax, letting thugs spread a night reign of terror.

Thika OCPD Patrick Mwakio denies allegations of laxity calling on residents to volunteer helpful information, but the attacks have escalated.

Night horror

"It is not possible for police to work alone, we need support from members of the public to curb these criminal activities," he said. One resident recalls in horror last May 27 when, at around 1am, the robbers struck her home at Gachororo.

She says the criminals broke her bedroom window and demanded she hand them money and a mobile phone or else they would set her house ablaze.

An attempt to raise an alarm was met with a stern warning that if she dared continue, she would be killed.

To drive the point home, one criminal, whom she could see well through the window, sprayed her with petrol, drenching her.

"I knew it was not a laughing matter when he showed me a match box which he threatened to strike. I had no option but to hand them my phone and Sh10, 000," she recalls.

She says the men proceeded to her neighbour’s house and repeated the same tactic.

A week ago, on June 19, the thugs attacked the house of a man only identified as Otieno.

The victim and his nursery school son, Glen Washington Otieno, were badly injured where a petrol bomb was hurled into the house, causing a fire that was later extinguished.

Earlier the gang of about ten men petrol-bombed the house of Joy Wairimu and her husband David Gathua, after the couple declined to open the door for them.

A neighbour, Mrs Judith Maina, says she first heard a bang behind their residence and thought someone was breaking into their house. Moments later, she heard Wairimu calling out in distress.

Husband injured

"She called us to go and help screaming that their house was on fire and her husband was injured," she remembers.

According to her, the criminals had set the house on fire from both the bedroom and the sitting room.

Gathua sustained serious injuries as he tried to extinguish the bedroom fire in vain.

Residents say the gang, suspected to be one group of thugs, has become daring by the day.

"They bang on your door, shout at you to open up and threaten petrol bomb the house if you resist," said Maina.

"When they strike, they tell you to choose between opening the door for them or being burnt in the house with your property. These are tough choices to make," said Maina.

Residents alleged police laxity, saying despite the presence of an Administration Police post and Juja police station less than a kilometre away, criminal activities continue to thrive in the area.

They say police have been given names of criminals but have not taken any noticeable action.