Four men who snatched the car at gunpoint on Wednesday have been arrested and are helping thepolice unravel the syndicate with operatives in Kenya, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Uganda.
The syndicate consists of armed gangsters, corrupt customs officials, car dealers and mechanics, police said.
The BMW 735 was stolen in Utawala, Nairobi and recovered in Kampala six days later.
Head of Flying Squad Munga Nyale said police were looking for more suspects.
“The Kenyans (who stole the car) delivered it to their Ugandan counterparts. We later realised it was a cross-border syndicate when we caught up with them. Ugandan detectives were of great help to our officers who were tracking the vehicle,” he said.
“Together with our counterparts in Uganda, we now know all the suspects involved. Four will be charged in court on Monday and we are pursuing others.”
The vehicle will be handed over to the Presidential Escort Unit Commandant.
ARRIVED IN A CONVOY
Chief Inspector of Police David Machui, who was driving the vehicle before gangsters carjacked him, is expected to pick out his attackers at an identification parade before they are taken to court.
The car arrived at the Flying Squad yard at the Nairobi police headquarters around 10 am after a journey of about 10 hours.
It arrived in a convoy of five cars that carried a battery of undercover detectives who had been tracking it for a week.
Though its registration number plate – KAW 479Y - had been removed, a closeobservation showed it had been given a new identity, ready for sale. The right side mirror is also missing.
As is common with government vehicles, its alternative registration is GK A374E.
An insurance sticker showed it was registered in Uganda as UAA 492X and owned by City Autor Care. The insurance was supposedly covered by NIC Insurance Limited and valid for a year from August 29, just two days after it was reported stolen.
The State on Friday dropped charges against Mr Aggrey Ochieng, a Nakuru mechanic initially taken to court over the theft.
Mr Nyale said the mechanic was found with a Toyota Avensis taken to his garage earlier by the gangsters arrested over the BMW theft.
EXPOSED BREACHES
The theft exposed serious security breaches in the way police officers across the country collaborate to track criminals.
But Mr Nyale was defensive in explaining why the vehicle crossed several policedivisions, across the country without being intercepted even after the robbery report was circulated.
“It was circulated almost immediately and we do not know when the registration plate was changed. It takes a minute to do so but they moved all the way just by sheer luck,” he said.
Mr Nyale said he was not mandated to say if action would be taken against the officer who was driving the vehicle.
However, Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo on Thursday told the Nation if investigations found any officers erred, “administrative” action would be taken against them.
“There are many areas we are investigating. It doesn’t end just like that. We have to deal with the criminal and whoever was in charge of the vehicle, administratively,” Kimaiyo said.
Sources investigating the theft questioned how Inspector Machui was allowed to drive a government vehicle home when procedures dictate that government vehicles be parked at the nearest police station or DC’s, DO’s or Chief’s office.
In this case, Presidential Escort vehicles are regularly parked at State House or at the unit’s quarters in Highridge.
- Nation.co.ke
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