Criminals target motorbike operators

By Nicholas Anyuor

When Ben Odhiambo, a boda boda taxi operator in Homa Bay town, got an unbelievably well paying offer from a customer, he believed his day was exceptionally blessed.

The friendly and smartly dressed customer asked to be taken to a village, several kilometres out of town.

Boda boda operators have become endagered as they say their business is under siege from criminals. Photos: James Keyi/Standard

It was mid day and he envisioned that he would take about an hour and return to wait for other customers.

As he left with his customer, he exchanged knowing winks with his colleagues who were envious of the deal he had just landed.

But unknown to them, it was the last time they would see him alive. They waited for him to return that day in vain.

After failing to return for days, his worried colleagues started looking for him. After a week, Odhiambo’s body was recovered in a sugarcane plantation in Awendo District, hundreds of kilometres from Homa Bay town.

Doubts were cast over the identity of the body, but his now tattered clothes give the clearest clues that it was Odhiambo. Part of his face was defaced making it difficult to identify the partly decomposed body.

The motorbike’s rubber band was tied around his neck indicating it was the murder weapon. Shocked boda boda operators helped his family transport his body back home in Homa Bay for burial.

Crime wave

But Odhiambo is not the only victim of this gang that has been targeting motorcycle operators in this region.

South Nyanza is reeling from the new crime wave targeting boda boda operators.

According Hassan Okiri, head of security for Homa Bay District taxi operators, eight people have been killed in the last three months and many others injured as members of the gang stole their motorbikes and other valuables.

The criminals dump bodies in thickets after killing their victims.

"We sometimes just find skeletons. We are not sure whether we shall find the ones who are now missing," Hassan says.

His three colleagues are missing since April though police, relatives and colleagues are still looking for them. At least nine motorbikes have also been reported missing in Homabay within the period. Among those who are missing are Mr Erick Otieno and Mr Calvins Ouma.

"We have lost many people and we are appealing to the Government to provide more security in the region," Hassan says.

He says three years ago, robbers would only steal motorbikes left unattended at bus stage or town streets.

In other cases, some ‘innocent’ people would regularly request to be trained how to ride at a nearby play ground for a fee.

"When you leave the person to go round the pitch alone after some training, he would just zoom past and disappear with the motorbike. That is when you realise you have been training an expert," Hassan says.

The operators then stopped the menace by having colleagues keep watch during such training sessions and tracing the stolen bike as a team.

"The criminals realised that we had outsmarted them. So they resorted to pretending to be passengers and robbing us on the way," says Ray Omondi, a boda boda operator.

Omondi says that sometimes the robbers request to be taken to a place that usually cost only Sh20. But after reaching the destination, the ‘passenger’ offers to pay Sh100. They then take the boda boda operator’s phone number promising to be a regular customer. The next time the ‘passenger’ calls to be picked for a longer journey, the cyclist agrees immediately in the hope of receiving even better payment.

Best customer

"One gets the perception that he is the best customer and would this time round give you big money. Some even lie to us that they work with big companies," Omondi notes.

"After reaching the ‘destination’, the passenger asks you to stop. Then his accomplices emerge. It only takes a matter of seconds to take the bike and other valuables," he adds.

The operators believe the criminals who could be locals, kill their victims to avoid identification. "They have to kill you to eliminate possibilities of being identified," Hassan adds. Two suspects from Homa Bay town recently escaped to Kisumu when they realised the operators were closing in on them. However, they were gunned down by police in Kisumu three weeks ago.

"Their bodies were brought here last week for burial though we suspect their colleagues are still in Kisumu," one cyclist who sought anonymity for fear of his safety, said.

Homa Bay OCPD Daniel Kimeu recently held a meeting with the operators to chat the way forward. He says that after the meeting, the operators are now helping police to identify possible suspects.

Living in fear

"We are getting results. We appeal to the public to share any information so that we can track down the suspects," he says.

In Migori District, the criminals have been luring their prey in similar fashion, though, unlike Homa Bay, not many deaths have been reported.

They mostly abandon victims in the forest and escape with the bike.

"They also take your phone. By the time you come back to town, it will be very difficult to trace the criminals," Joseph Otieno, a boda boda operator in Migori town says.

Migori OCPD Erick Mugambi admits that the boda boda operators in the region are living in fear. He says one taxi man has been killed adding that most victims have sustained injuries and their bikes and valuables stolen.

Mugambi says his office has liaised with the operators and asked them to end their businesses at 8pm to ensure the robbers, who mostly target them at night, don’t succeed.

"This is what has saved us now for some time. We are working hard to ensure the riders are safe because they help the society. So we must give them enough security," he adds.

In Rachuonyo, many residents fear taking the bikes after 7pm because of the increased insecurity. Mr Tom Waso from Kendu Bay town says it is not safe to ride at night.

"Riding in the motorbike at night is risky because the robbers could target you on the way and as they rob the cyclist, you might also become a victim," he says.

Local leaders are requesting the Government to beef up security in the region to help curb crime.

Shauri Yako Ward councillor Otieno Ochaka, recently asked the Nyanza Provincial Police Officer Njue Njagi who visited Homa Bay town to establish more police posts in the region especially the outskirts of the town.

The civic leader says that the boda boda operators are killed in areas where there are no police posts.

"When they transport people outside town, anything is likely to happen and the riders will have no defence. They are fully in the hands of criminals," Ochaka says.

Vetting system

He, however, appeals to the cyclists to co-operate with the police so that suspects are reported. The civic leader also warns the taxi operators to be watchful over their colleagues.

He urges them to vet those who are coming to do business in town with them since some of the operators are suspected to be liaising with the robbers.

"We cannot rule out the fact that some of these operators are also involved. We should have details of who is coming to do business here," he says.

This was echoed by Oyugis Town Mayor Tom Midigo. Midigo says some of the operators in Rachuonyo District are suspected to be liaising with robbers.

He says that rules should be introduced to keep away non-registered operators in the town. He wants all the people in the business to provide all their personal information. This will make it easier to track down any suspects. He says some have been accused of defiling school girls when they offer them transport services.

"We cannot trust these operators. Some of them are also involved in crime," said Midigo.