Criminals descend on a girl on a street in Nairobi CBD/ COURTESY
You might have had your phone snatched in Nairobi CBD, know someone who lost one or more or saw it happening to others in broad daylight.
Five muggers arrested by DCI detectives based at Kamukunji police station were on Friday charged with robbery with violence at the Makadara Law Courts.
The five are accused of brutal muggings around Ronald Ngala Street, Luthuli Avenue, River Road and Racecourse Road.
“All the five suspects were positively identified by the complainant who is a business man within River Road,” DCI Kenya said on their social media platforms.
The five were detained until July 7, when a mention for their bond consideration.
In January 2018, Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko formed an anti-mugging squad following an upsurge of daytime street muggings in the city which was ineffective.
The county’s security department at the time marked Temple and Hakati Roads and Moi and Haile Selassie Avenues as the hot spots for the muggings.
Other areas also cited then as hotspots were OTC – Racecourse Road, Uyoma Road near St Peter’s Clevers Church and the junction of Ronald Ngala and Racecourse Roads towards River Road.
The thieves were accused of causing injuries to victims, snatching phones, watches, laptops, handbags, fancy spectacles, earrings and chains.
The rampant muggings ignited a fierce crackdown and eventual banning of boda bodas from within the CBD.
City Inspectorate director of operations Peter Mbaya said the criminals were using the boda bodas to get away from scenes of crime.
