Many of Nairobi slums are grappling with twin crisis of sharp increase in insecurity and the massive involvement of teens in crime.
In an effort to curb the gangs, handpicked police officers, alias “Hessy Wa Kayole” and “Hessy Wa Dandora”, have been deployed to deal with the menace.
The police, who act anonymously, are using social media to warn, plan and finally execute suspects; and later parade their corpses on Facebook.
This, according to some of the posts they made on Facebook, was the only way to warn the young criminals. Defiant thugs would later be shot dead. Over 20 thugs have been killed since the emergence of “Hessy” police.
Hessy tactfully warns the thugs to stop the vice failure to which he would resort to killing the robber by the bullet.
In a quest to understand the other side of the story, P Live Kenya caught up with Kevo aged 20, not his real name, who was once warned by ‘Hessy Wa Dandora cop’.
He describes ‘Hessy Wa Dandora’ as a “different and rare kind of police officer, one who wouldn’t condone crime, however much you attempt bribing him.”
Here is a section of the candid conversation Kevo had with P Live Kenya
P Live: How did you get into crime? What prompted you?
Kevo: I used to play football with friends then later would relax, talk about bhang and pickpocketing. So a friend later introduced me to a scheme where you could easily snatch a phone, sell and make quick money.
My first and very successful crime stint was at 8pm near Tea Room where we targeted matatus from upcountry. That is the time most people are online, probably checking a few messages on Facebook or WhatsApp. So, we could see a good phone worth taking. For me, I slid the window of a 14-seater matatu and managed to snatch a phone from a passenger who was seated at the back seat of the vehicle.
My friend on the other side of the window was also very alert. He managed to take another phone. We quickly left and sold the phone to a phone repair shop on the next street. Satisfied with our successful robbery and easy cash got us bolder and bolder.
P Live: How many of you made up a gang group; what were the roles of each member?
Kevo: I was in a group of six aged between 15 and 17 with me being the eldest at 19. Two would provide security and two others would get into an Mpesa shop, for example, to execute the plan of robbery. The other remaining two, who were usually ladies, would be used to carry the cash and also weapons to and from the crime scene.
After a successful heist, we would have sex with the two ladies in our gang; we would also party and drink. We were mostly active on the weekends.
P Live: Did you ever rape or kill someone? What happened?
Kevo: I used to carry daggers. I slit so many throats and stabbed people who were trying to resist or attempted making noise. What I can’t clarify is whether they died or not.
What I am certain about is that I have seen some bleed to death, just to ensure that they cannot speak to anyone about what happened. I really feel bad about it.
P Live: Describe a successful incident of robbery.
Kevo: There was a pregnant mother who was serving as an Mpesa agent in Dandora. I was the first one to enter her shop, just to be sure that there were no CCTV cameras. Fortunately, there wasn’t. My other three friends also forced their way into the shop, commanded her to give us money and she declined.
During that commotion she started screaming, so I opted to silence her. We shot her in the ribs, and I watched her bleed to death, looking at me. We made away with Sh201 that was on a table below her counter.
“I received a warning message on the fateful day after a raid that saw us kill a pregnant woman who was serving as an Mpesa agent,” Kevo says adding that he was earlier working with the police.
“That was my turning point,” he adds.
Kevo reveals to P Live Kenya how he worked with the police and the amount of money they paid for each robbery. Watch out for Part II.
Watch Part I below
READ: We hired guns from police at a fee for each raid - teen thug opens up [Part II] - VIDEO
This is the first part of the two piece investigative report on Insecurity and Crime in Nairobi’s Dandora Estate. Part II of the story will give the police an audience over the accusations that may have been levelled against them.