Man found with gun rearrested after escaping his first capture

Siele had initially been arrested for a traffic offence but he escaped before reaching the police station. [iStockphoto]

Police in Nakuru have rearrested a man who had escaped after being arrested following a road accident.

Samson Siele will today appear in court to answer the charge of being in possession of a homemade firearm found in his car, which was involved in an accident along the Nakuru-Nyahururu road.

Nakuru North DCIO Westley Langat said the 27-year-old man rammed another car in Kagoto area on Saturday morning.

“The accident occurred at around 5.30am on Saturday. The suspect, who was driving a Toyota Passo, hit another vehicle from behind after which traffic police cleared the scene,” said Langat.

He said as the vehicles, which only had minor damages, were being towed to the police station, Siele escaped from the police and sprinted into the darkness.

“He had been arrested for a traffic offence. He pulled himself away from the hands of a police officer and managed to escape, leaving behind his vehicle,” said Langat.

The officer said Siele's escape made the officers suspicious on why he would leave behind his fairly used vehicle, adding that neither him nor the complainant had sustained injuries.

Thorough search

“His escaping prompted the officers to conduct a thorough search in his vehicle. It was then that the officers found a homemade gun next to the driver’s seat. The gun resembled a real Ceska pistol,” said Langat.

A manhunt was immediately launched for Siele with the aid of details on documents recovered from his vehicle.

“On further search of the vehicle we found his driver’s licence, university certificate, mobile phone, Huduma card, ID card and his other personal effects, which helped us in our investigations,” said Langat.

Siele was yesterday morning arrested in Bahati area from where he is suspected to have been planning on how to recover his vehicle.

“We shall arraign him in court tomorrow. We intend to charge him for being in possession of an imitation firearm contrary to section 34 (1) of the Firearms Act Cap 114 of the laws of Kenya. We strongly believe he was involved in or intended to commit a robbery,” said Langat.

[email protected]