Police kill man 'involved' in Westlands restaurant robbery

Police have killed a man they say was involved in a robbery incident at a popular restaurant in Westlands, Nairobi.

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters acting on intelligence alongside their counterparts from the Matungulu Police Division in Machakos County raided a house where the suspect, Vincent Ochieng, had allegedly taken refuge in his girlfriend’s house.

Police said that after identifying themselves and ordering Ochieng to surrender, he allegedly opened fire using a kitchen window leading to a shootout that saw his killing.

When they gained entry to the house, they found the suspect fatally wounded.

A Beretta pistol loaded with a magazine containing four rounds of 9mm ammunition, live rounds and spent cartridges were recovered from the scene.

They also recovered three phones.

DCI said that preliminary investigations had linked the suspect to the robbery incident that was captured on CCTV cameras drawing widespread criticism and calls to action.

The evening incident showed two armed suspects who had covered their faces making their way into the Chaiiwali Hotel restaurant along General Mathenge Road in Westlands at around 10.40 p.m.

Once inside they they snatched phones, laptops and valuables from diners before fleeing on motorcycles towards Parklands.

They allegedly fired twice in the air to scare away people and police recovered two spent cartridges.

Police said that recovered firearm will now be subjected to a ballistic examination by experts at the National Forensic Laboratory to match it to the recovered cartridges and to also see whether it had been used to commit other crimes.

The recovered phones will also be forensically exploited as detectives look for more clues in their investigations.

DCI said that they were after other assailants involved in the robbery incident.

Police said that Ochieng is part of a gang allegedly involved in violent robbery incidents across Nairobi, Kiambu and Machakos counties.