Gangsters carjack matatu, rob passengers at gunpoint along Nairobi-Nakuru highway

Matatu conductor hanging on the matatu along the Nakuru -Nairobi highway on October 21, 2015. [Photo: Kipsang Joseph/Standard]

A group of passengers spent last night in the cold after a matatu they were travelling in was carjacked along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway by four armed thugs.

During the five hour ordeal in Kinale forest, the passengers who included two uniformed officers were subjected to a harrowing ordeal before being robbed of all their cash and other valuables.

The passengers who were headed to Naivasha from Nairobi were first stripped off regardless of their gender and ordered to lie naked in the cold forest as the thugs went through their clothes.

Trouble started after a smartly dressed couple boarded the Naivasha bound matatu at around 9pm and sat next to the driver.

A victim, Abraham Karani said that on reaching Soko Mjinga area along the highway, the couple called on the driver to stop as they had reached their destination.

He added that as the driver opened the boot to allow the two to collect their cargo two men branding pistols emerged from the darkness and took control of the matatu.

“The driver was pushed back to the matatu which was driven to the nearby Kinale forest where for over five hours we were beaten and robbed of all our valuables,” he said.

Karani added that the thugs demanded their Mpesa pin where they went ahead to transfer all the cash they had and even borrow using the loan platform.

“There were minors and they were also subjected to the humiliating action by the woman who was the gang leader before they left us in the forest,” he said.

Naivasha OCPD Samuel Waweru confirmed the incident adding that the shaken passengers were rescued at around 4am and driven to Naivasha police station.

“The case has however been transferred to Lari police station as that is where the incident occurred and we are confident that we shall catch up with these thugs,” he said.

Meanwhile, there was drama in Karagita estate, Naivasha after police arrested four witch-doctors over an increase in cases of fraud.

The four were arrested after a man was conned Sh59,000 after he was promised that the cash would be doubled in a couple of days only to find pieces of papers.

“We have arrested the four suspects following complaints from area residents and we shall charge them in court with several accounts,” said area Chief Hassan Guyo.