A prolonged wave of fear that had gripped parts of Kisumu and neighbouring areas has eased after police arrested a man suspected to be a key figure behind a notorious criminal gang.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said officers from Gita Police Station, Kisumu East Sub-County, arrested James Kenneth Otieno following days of intelligence-driven surveillance.
Investigators believe Otieno was part of a gang linked to a string of robberies that had left residents anxious and repeatedly counting losses.
Police said the manhunt intensified after one of Otieno’s alleged associates, Hussein Hassan, was killed by a mob on January 23, 2026.
Hassan was reportedly found in possession of a stolen motorcycle at the time of his death, an incident that drew renewed attention to the gang’s activities and the growing problem of mob justice.
Armed with information that Otieno was still storing stolen goods, officers mounted a targeted operation at his home in Kajulu Gardens, Konya sub-location.
The raid, conducted swiftly and without incident, led to the recovery of several items believed to have been stolen during previous attacks.
Among the items recovered were three motorcycles, a 65-inch Hisense television, a 12kg gas cylinder, a double-burner cooker, mobile phones, and various motorcycle spare parts.
Police said some victims have already identified their property, offering closure to residents who had resigned themselves to permanent loss.
Otieno is being held in police custody as detectives complete investigations ahead of his court appearance.
The remaining recovered items are being kept as exhibits, with police calling on victims to come forward for identification.
The National Police Service reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling criminal networks and restoring safety in urban and peri-urban areas.
At the same time, police urged residents to avoid mob justice, warning that such actions compromise investigations and deny suspects the right to due process under the law.