Two thugs shot dead, four others on police wanted list arrested

Kisumu County Commander Nelson Njiri.

Police in Kisumu gunned down two suspected criminals and arrested four others, who have been on their wanted list. The two were part of a four-man gang that raided a house at Poly View Estate over the weekend.

This comes as crackdown on criminals in the county continues.

The thugs broke into a house whose owner was not around but police were alerted by a neighbour. The police arrived when the suspects were already exiting the house with stolen items. The thugs were ordered to surrender but exchanged fire with the officers.

"Two suspects were killed during the shootout while the other two fled and are still at large. One of them was armed with an AK47 rifle," said Kisumu County Commander Nelson Njiri.

Mr Njiri added that police also recovered a toy pistol, a machete, electronics and confiscated a motorcycle.

The bodies of the thugs were taken to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital Mortuary.

A day before, police arrested a wanted criminal suspected to be behind a series of attacks around Nyamasaria, Nyalenda and Manyatta estates. Daniel Farouk alias Hassan was arrested at Kachok roundabout while donning a military uniform. He was found with an axe and a knife.

"The suspect was first handed over to Homa Bay Police Station, where he was to face other robbery charges, before being transferred to Kisumu," said Njiri.

Two other thugs were arrested in Nyamasaria after police got information on their hideouts.  Police recovered nine rounds of ammunition from the suspects. Njiri said two home-made guns, three machetes and a walkie talkie, a military trouser and a motorcycle were recovered from the house belonging to the suspects believed to be behind a series of crimes.

On the same day, Adan Galgal was arrested while attempting to rob an M-Pesa shop, a few metres from Kisumu Central Police Station. Mr Galgal, who was found with a toy pistol, was arrested after the shop attendant raised the alarm, prompting police on patrol to respond and pounce on him.

Njiri said they have been conducting raids to smoke out criminals suspected to be members of the '40 Brothers', who have been terrorising locals over the past few months.