Police arrest boy, 17, recover two guns

By Renson Buluma

A 17-year-old boy was arrested and two guns recovered after police raided a hotel. According to Busia OCPD Kenneth Kimani, the boy and another suspect, who was also arrested, were reportedly planning to rob a trader whom they had tracked all the way from Nairobi.

The trader was visiting the border town to purchase merchandise from a neighbouring country. “We have established the two are not residents of Busia County, but only came to commit a specific crime,” said Kimani.

Police working on a tip-off at the weekend stormed the hotel they were in and arrested the gangsters. The officers recovered a rifle and a homemade pistol with one live round of ammunition.

ARRAIGNED IN COURT

The rifle was concealed in dry coconut leaves (makuti) used for partitioning rooms. He added: “We got a hint they were

hiding in a hotel near Marachi Estate.”

He said police were pursuing the third suspect while the two in custody will be arraigned in court once investigation is complete.

Mr Kimani urged accommodation facilities in the area to be cautious as they admit guests to avoid hosting criminals. He commended wananchi for supporting the fight against crime in the area.

Meanwhile, irate villagers yesterday morning lynched a man suspected to be a bicycle thief near Kisoko weighbridge in Nambale District.

The man was allegedly found with two stolen bicycles belonging to cane cutters who had parked them at the cane weighing facility.

Kimani confirmed the incident, saying the suspect was killed on the spot. He, however, warned locals against taking the law into their hands saying killing of suspected criminals denies the police an opportunity to arrest their accomplices.

“It is important that such people be arrested so that they can help police with investigation,” said Kimani. The body was removed to Busia Referral Hospital mortuary