The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has apprehended a man accused of impersonating a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) captain in an attempt to evade an ‘alcoblow’ test at Museum Hill, Nairobi.
This arrest has led to the uncovering of a significant cache of military gear and weapons and the detainment of two additional suspects.
On Wednesday, May 15, police arrested the suspect at a routine police roadblock. He refused to comply with officers’ instructions, obstructing traffic police by declining to roll down his car windows for the breathalyser test.
Instead, he stepped out of his black Toyota Prado TX and presented himself as a KDF captain, pointing to a KDF sticker on his windscreen.
Unable to produce a certificate of appointment or justify his exemption from the test, the suspect called a serving military captain, who distanced himself when the situation escalated.
Verification from the Department of Defense (DoD) confirmed that the man was not a military officer, leading to his immediate arrest and subsequent arraignment at the Milimani Law Courts on traffic-related charges.
Following his release from court, anti-robbery police, acting on a tip-off, apprehended the suspect and his alleged driver at the Nairobi Area Traffic Headquarters as they attempted to retrieve the detained vehicle.
During interrogation, the case was transferred to the Director of Operations, who instructed the Operation Support Unit to investigate further.
A search of the suspect’s vehicle yielded 15 counterfeit US dollar notes in 100-dollar denominations, a police pocket phone, a vehicle siren, expired Ugandan car insurance, seven SIM card holders, and two company stamps. This led to the arrest of Omwanda and a deeper probe into their activities.
A subsequent search of the primary suspect’s residence on Hilltop Road in Ngong unearthed military camouflage jungle fatigues and various company documents. Social media posts revealed images of the suspect brandishing firearms, which are yet to be recovered.
Further interrogation implicated a third individual. A raid at this individual’s residence at Jimly Apartment in Jamhuri Estate uncovered three hand grenades, a Sauer P229 pistol, twelve rounds of ammunition, and a firearm certificate under scrutiny for authenticity.
The suspect claimed the grenades were entrusted to him by a Kenya Prisons officer for safekeeping, prompting an investigation to verify the officer’s identity and involvement.
Authorities are pursuing leads to locate a long-barrelled rifle reportedly seen with the first suspect, based on an informer’s tip.
