Two suspected members of a criminal gang have been arrested in Kisumu following a security operation that led to the recovery of a homemade firearm, crude weapons and items resembling police equipment.
The operation was conducted by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Operations Support Unit, the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit and the General Service Unit Tactical Team after receiving intelligence on suspected criminal activities.
The operation resulted in the arrest of Joseph Mwata Magak, alias “Boyi Sampa”, and Isaac Omondi Ojwang’.
“A security operation in Kisumu has led to the arrest of two suspected criminal gang members, and the recovery of items believed to be linked to criminal activities,” the DCI said.
Detectives later searched Magak’s rented house in Mamboleo Pocho Estate, where they discovered a collection of items concealed in the master bedroom.
The recovered items included a homemade firearm, a bow and four arrows, a panga, a toy gun and five rolls of cannabis sativa.
Police also recovered items resembling equipment used by security officers, including a police siren, a pair of police boots, six pairs of jungle-green tactical trousers, a camouflage jacket and a pair of tactical boots.
“A subsequent search of Magak’s rented house in Mamboleo Pocho Estate, Kisumu, opened a Pandora’s box, as detectives uncovered a cache of items concealed in the master bedroom,” the agency stated.
A bottle of gun oil, a Kenyan flag and a Subaru front bumper were among other items seized during the search.
The DCI said investigations had established that Magak has an ongoing case involving attempted robbery with violence before the Nakuru Law Courts.
The latest arrest is expected to assist detectives in establishing the suspected activities of the two men and determining whether the recovered items were connected to other offences.
The suspects remain in custody as they undergo processing ahead of arraignment in court. The recovered items have been secured and will form part of the evidence in the ongoing investigations.
The DCI also acknowledged the role played by members of the public in providing information to security agencies.
“The timely and actionable intelligence remains a critical weapon in the fight against organised crime and in keeping communities safe,” the agency said.
The operation comes amid continued efforts by security agencies to disrupt suspected criminal networks and prevent the proliferation of illegal weapons in communities.