Victims of Nakuru radio live broadcast robbery speak

Radio presenters and guests of Mwinjoyo FM in Kiamaina, Nakuru County have broken silence on the Thursday midnight robbery that took place at the station.

Robert Kiarie and Esther Wanjiru had been invited for a Mugithi night show from 8pm to midnight, on the fateful night.

Kiarie, who is seen in a now viral video, said he had been asked to end the show because it was almost midnight and he decided to wish listeners well.

"The door behind me suddenly opened and a man who had covered his face entered armed with a gun. I thought he was a police officer and I immediately stopped speaking," Kiarie narrated when The Standard paid them a visit.

He said three other men entered, ordered everyone to lie down and directed the presenter of the show to switch everything off.

Kiarie said that he stalled and remained standing up when one of the four raiders kicked him on the waist, forcing him down the ground.

"I was scared, shocked and shaking and I thought I would be dead because the men kept threatening to kill us Al-Shabaab style," he said.

Ms Wanjiru said she was prepared to die once she realised it was a robbery and began asking for forgiveness.

Wanjiru said she could not believe that strangers would rob a religious station during a live broadcast. "I have never experienced anything like that in my life. The robbers were rough and looked dangerous. They ordered me to lie down or lose my life," she said.

One of the presenters at the station, Mwangi wa Mbugua, said the men tore through the electric fence to gain access into the premises.

He believes they must have hidden behind a tank within the compound.

Mbugua said they found him in his office next to the studio and ordered him to help them access the studio, before directing him to lie face down.

For the next 30 minutes, the presenter said that the men took their mobile phones, cash from their pockets and valuables in their bags.

"The men then realized the show was live on Facebook and there were CCTV cameras in the station," he said.

Dancun Njuguna, the Station manager said the thugs forced him to show them to the CCTV room, where they vandalized the camera.

He said after stealing valuables, they escaped.

In a video that has since circulated, the thugs are heard saying "zima hiyo kitu. zima haraka "Switch off those cameras quickly."

One of the robbers is seen kicking someone to the ground. Another one who sounded annoyed asked one of the captives what he was doing, "nini unafanya wewe?"

The matter was reported at Kiugoine Police Station on Friday morning. Njuguna said they recorded statements and also submitted the CCTV equipment to the police.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirmed the incident and said the thugs made away with eight mobile phones, over Sh35,000 in cash and eight pairs of shoes.

"Five cameras were also damaged by the thugs before they escaped by jumping over the establishment's perimeter," detectives said.

Police are now looking for information and whereabouts of the suspected robbers.