Top crime buster falls into the arms of carjackers

By Cyrus Ombati

The hunter became the hunted over the weekend, as a top sleuth at Criminal Investigations Department Gideon Kimilu was carjacked by armed thugs.

Mr Kimilu is a senior Assistant Commissioner of Police, which makes him the highest-ranking officer to walk into the robbers’ trap.

Kimilu was heading to his Nairobi South C home at 8pm when the gangsters using another stolen vehicle blocked him. His Peugeot saloon was then used in at least ten robberies.

Kimilu, who ordinarily would be handling pictures and sketches of wanted criminals on the run, some with prize money on their heads, encountered them first-hand.

He was lucky to escape with his life, thanks to other motorists who called his police colleagues to report witnessing his carjacking.

Police in the Radio Room immediately recognised the car registration number given for circulation to field officers, as that of their boss, and communicated with traffic police.

And luck was on Kimilu’s side — the gang did not know the man they had stopped even as they demanded his phone and cash before driving off with him in a squeal of tyres.

By sheer luck of thought and composure, he had the presence of mind, even as they yanked his door open, to remove his pistol and holster, and hid it below his seat. If his captors had seen it — it would have been the great giveaway and the story would have been different, just like if he had tried using it and he lost the one-man-war against the kings of the under world.

The thugs were using two different cars in their nocturnal operation. And for almost two hours, they used Kimilu’s car to block and rob other motorists of cash and other valuables along Langata Road and South C.

Called for help

A witness who saw Kimilu being attacked and others affected alerted police. Officers were then mobilised and swung into action — to trace and rescue their boss.

A flying squad team on the hunt came across the thugs near Haile Selassie Avenue. They were contemplating what to do — without putting their commander at risk — when the thugs fired. "The officers did not know the thugs had two different cars and as they were monitoring Kimilu’s, they were attacked by those in the second car," said a source.

Inspector Patrick Kitonyi who was in charge of the Flying Squad team was shot and wounded in the elbow. Kitonyi is recuperating in hospital.

In the shoot-out, the bandits abandoned Kimilu’s car and escaped in the ‘support’ car.

Other motorists affected in the series of incidents said the thugs were armed with pistols and rifles and oozed confidence.

"They were all youths and spoke fluent English. They were interested in fast money and other valuables," said one of the victims.

On Sunday, police said no arrest had been made so far but they were pursuing useful leads.

Robberies are on the rise, but as police rush to counter them, top cop Kimilu became the latest victim of the surge in gun-related crime — raising the question and so who is safe?