Nairobi: Police Officers on Patrol Arrest 4 in CBD With Toy Gun, Knife
- Four people were arrested near Shell Petrol Station on Kenyatta Avenue after night patrol officers found them with a toy gun, a knife, six mobile phones, and rubber bullets
- Investigators from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) told the court that the suspects could be part of a wider criminal network
- Defence lawyers opposed the extended detention, telling the court that the suspects, including a civil servant and a single mother of three, were cooperative
- The magistrate partially allowed the DCI’s application, cutting the detention period to five days instead of 14, and directed that the suspects return for further directions
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Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Police officers on night patrol in Nairobi's central business district (CBD) have arrested four people after finding a toy gun, a knife, and multiple mobile phones in their vehicle.
Source: Original
The contents in their possession raised suspicions of a potential plot to commit a felony, leading to their apprehension.
The arrests took place near the Shell Petrol Station on Kenyatta Avenue on the night of Wednesday, June 4.
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Why were 4 people arrested in Nairobi's CBD?
Officers from Central Police Station, who were on a routine patrol, noticed a red Audi A1 parked at the location.
The vehicle, registration number KDL 290B, appeared suspicious enough to prompt immediate intervention.
According to court documents seen by TUKO.co.ke, the officers approached the car, found four occupants inside, ordered them to exit, and conducted a search.
What they recovered from the vehicle has now become central to a fast-developing criminal investigation.
Among the items retrieved were two Samsung S23 Ultra smartphones, a Samsung Galaxy A04, an iPhone 14 Pro Max, a Redmi 14C, an Infinix 913, and an Oppo A5S.
Also recovered were a white revolver toy gun, an AK-47 CCCP knife, and six rubber bullets.
The four occupants, identified as Gin Ammitou Abwao, Collins Karani Ireri, Brian Mwaniki Njue, and Jemimah Kagendo Gichovi, were taken into custody and escorted to Central Police Station.
What are the DCI's suspicions about the 4 suspects?
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) now believes the suspects may be part of a larger operation, possibly involving other illegal weapons hidden across different residences in Nairobi and Kiambu counties.
Intelligence reports cited in an affidavit sworn by a police officer allege that the suspects may be connected to criminal activity in the area.
The prosecution applied to hold the suspects in custody for 14 days to allow time for ballistic testing of the toy revolver and rubber bullets, and to conduct forensic analysis of the recovered mobile phones.
Officers suggested that the phones might have been stolen and could hold key evidence relevant to the case.
The police also sought to search properties linked to the suspects, where more dangerous weapons are suspected to be hidden.
Investigators argue that the suspects could assist in locating other individuals still at large and in the recovery of additional evidence.
What arguments did the defence present against detention?
However, the defence team has contested the extended detention request, insisting that the suspects are not a flight risk and have shown a willingness to cooperate with authorities.
The first suspect, an employee of the Department of Canada, appeared in court alongside his wife and six-year-old child.
His employer had reportedly expressed concern over the potential impact of prolonged detention on his job and pledged support to ensure his compliance with police investigations.
The second suspect is employed by View Distributors and is also married with a child. His defence team argued that continued detention would unfairly jeopardise his livelihood.
The third suspect, Jemimah Kagendo Gichovi, a single mother of three working for Moptek Solutions and Momiji, told the court that she did not know the whereabouts of her children at the time of arrest and had been trying to locate them.
Source: Original
Her legal representatives requested her release to allow her to continue the search.
What did the court decide on the detention application?
In her ruling, the magistrate acknowledged the need for further investigation, particularly regarding the search of residences and analysis of recovered devices.
However, the court held that ballistic and forensic work could proceed without keeping the suspects in custody.
The court partially granted the police's application, allowing a shorter detention period, less than the requested 14.
"Accordingly, the application dated June 5, 2015, is allowed in part. The Court reduces the detention period from fourteen days to five days, inclusive of the upcoming long weekend. The matter will be mentioned again on June 11 for further directions," the ruling read.
Why was Cop Shakur detained?
Elsewhere, former prisons officer Jackson Kuria Kimani, known as Cop Shakur, was arrested in Naivasha on March 22, 2025, after authorities reportedly found a toy gun in his possession.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) requested additional time to determine if the toy gun could be classified as a firearm.
A court granted a 24-hour extension for the investigation. Shakur's lawyer, Monica Mwai, criticised the extended detention, arguing he should have been presented in court as required by law.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
