Slain Kitengela Four man Benjamin Imbache linked to criminal gang

Benjamin Imbai Amache. [Courtesy]

It is now emerging that Benjamin Imbai Amache, one of the four men who disappeared from Kitengela last week and whose body was found dumped in Mathioya River in Murang’a County, was a man on police radar.

The Standard has established that Amache, well known as ‘Bena’, was among a seven-member gang that police said broke into and stole Sh900,000 from a parked car at a yard along Ngong Road on January 11, 2020.

According to the Directorate of Criminal investigations, Amache alongside his accomplices was arrested by detectives based in Kilimani, Nairobi.

The arrest also saw three cars believed to have been used in the crime detained.

Other suspects were Boaz Otieno Owino a.k.a Baba Fabian, Collins Orupto Ipara a.k.a Collo, Duncan Wachira Gakungu a.k.a Dante, William Kamau Maina a.k.a Willo a.k.a Michuki, Jacqueline Njoki Mwangi a.k.a Lady bose and Ian Kibe Kinyua a.k.a Kibe.

The DCI said the gang had been operating in major towns using different motor vehicles, some of which were hired and fitted with fake registration numbers.

“All have been placed in custody and being processed for arraignment. We caution members of the public to beware of such criminals even as we heighten our detection bars to paralyse their efforts a bring perpetrators to book,” the DCI said in a tweet posted on January 11, 2020.

The directorate said the gang had trailed their victim from KCB Buruburu to the yard where he intended to buy a car.

Having parked his car, the victim locked it leaving the money therein as he went to be shown around.

But the gang who also posed as customers parked alongside the victim's car before breaking in and disappearing with the money, but were caught on CCTV cameras.

Upon analysis of the footage, the DCI detectives launched a manhunt for them and managed to arrest all of them.

SEVEN Members of a Notorious Criminal Gang which on Saturday 11th Jan, 2020 broke into & stole Ksh. 900K from a parked car at a Car Yard along Gong Road was today arrested by #DCI Kilimani Detectives & Three Motor Vehicles believed to be used in the perpetration detained. pic.twitter.com/iYKSo9AsA6

— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) January 14, 2020

Amache 30, alongside his friends Elijah Obuong, 35, Brian Oduor (36) and Jack Anyango Ochieng (37), went missing on April 19, 2021, in unclear circumstances.

The four arrived at Club Enkare, Kitengela, in the afternoon, ordered a few drinks and were last seen leaving the entertainment joint at 3pm towards the facility’s parking bay, where they had a white Toyota Mark X registration KCQ 715C.

After a week of searching and tracing, detectives involved in the investigations said there was enough evidence that the four were abducted.

The detectives said the unknown abductors lay in wait for the four as they had lunch at the restaurant and pounced on them once they stepped out of the eatery on the fateful Monday.

The four were then forced into the Prados by their abductors before being driven away.

During the investigations, the four were linked to the notorious group whose leader is named Brian Oduor alias Kompe.

Oduour is a former convict who served an eight-year jail term for involvement in criminal activities.

On the other hand, Amache had pending criminal cases before Mavoko and Kibera law courts.

According to police, his last appearance at Mavoko Court for case No. MCCR/978/2019 was on December 10, 2020.

Amache’s body was retrieved from a thicket in Thika, Kiambu County today and taken to General Kago Funeral Home today.

This was just a few hours after the body of Elija Obuong, 35, was retrieved from Mathioya River in Murang’a County stashed in a sack.

According to the deceased’s brother, Obuong’s body was moved to Murang’a County Referral Hospital morgue on April 20.