Detectives drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have recovered part of the Sh94million stolen in a daring money heist in Nairobi earlier in the week.
According to a statement released by the DCI, Ismael Patrick Gitonga who is the owner of the motor vehicle registration number KBM 751W Fielder suspected to have been used to ferry the stolen cash from the escort van was traced to Rongai and arrested.
The operation was expanded to Kasarani where a second suspect, Martin Nderi Nganga was arrested with police recovering a total of Sh9.1 million from his rented house.
"Moments after a brief interrogation, detectives revved to a spot near the Thika Road Mall in Roysambu, where the 4th suspect - Martin Nderi Ng'ang'a - was arrested. He led the detectives to his rented house still in Roysambu, where a search therein saw the rocovery of Sh9.1 million in cash." Read the statement by DCI.
Busted making modifications to the vehicle
The vehicle was traced to Njiru area where police busted two men making modifications on the vehicle, including changing its colour.
The two are Michael Matolo Njeru and Samwel Onyango.
"The hawkshaws extended their investigations to Njiru area in Kayole where they traced the motorvehicle in the hands of Michael Matoro Njeru and Samuel Onyango, who were ambushed hands-on-tools modifying the vehicle for concealment. The two were equally cuffed and the vehicle detained." Added the statement.
READ: New twist on Sh94M cash heist as DCI goes after 3rd suspect
Also recovered during the raid was a new set of number plates that had been mounted on the vehicle, different from the ones captured on CCTV cameras.
Investigators privy to the matter maintain that the suspect was captured driving the vehicle across the city on the day of the incident.
Detectives working on the case also recovered empty cash boxes in a forest adjacent to Gataka market in Karen.
The suspects, some of whom are still at large are believed to have shared their loot here before disposing the cash boxes.
"Having booked the four suspects, the sleuths proceeded to a forest near Gataka Market in Karen, where the cash box used in transporting the stolen money was recovered. Detectives believe that the forest was the meet up point for the suspects, where the loot was shared before each one of them risked his way from the long arm of the law." Read the statement.
"All the scenes have been processed by the Crime Scene and Investigation (CSI) Nairobi Region," read part of the police report.
How heist was executed
The heist made headlines on November 6 after two employees of a prominent cash-in-transit company vanished into thin air with the staggering amount.
According to a statement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the driver and crew commander managed to sneak out of the company headquarters in South C without the police officers who had been assigned to escort them.
“Oblivious that the truck no. KBA 517T they were to escort had minutes earlier sneaked away, the armed escort team went to enquire from the management why the loading was taking too long. By that time, neither the truck nor the crew members could be traced,” the DCI said.
Authorities shared the photos of the two prime suspects, asking the public to submit any information on their whereabouts.