A police officer’s missing pistol that triggered security concerns in Nairobi has been recovered after detectives discovered it hidden inside a supermarket luggage holding area.
The loaded Ceska pistol, which had been stolen from a VIP protection officer while he was receiving a massage at a city spa, was found concealed inside a Carrefour-branded carrier bag during a covert operation by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Firearm Found Hidden in Supermarket
According to investigators, the firearm was recovered on Tuesday morning at Development House along Moi Avenue, ending a week-long search that had raised fears the weapon could fall into the hands of criminals.
Detectives revealed that the suspect had gone to great lengths to conceal the weapon. The pistol was reportedly wrapped in two additional carrier bags and hidden among fruits inside the supermarket’s luggage holding section.
Police confirmed that the firearm was recovered intact and still inside its holster.
Two Bullets Missing
Authorities disclosed that the magazine still contained 13 rounds of 9mm ammunition. However, two rounds were missing from the original 15 rounds that had been loaded in the pistol when it disappeared.
The discovery has now shifted investigators’ focus toward determining what happened to the missing bullets and whether the firearm was used during the period it was unaccounted for.
How the Pistol Went Missing
The weapon belonged to a police sergeant attached to the elite Security of Government Buildings (SGB) VIP Unit and assigned to protect a former Member of Parliament.
Investigations indicate that the officer visited a barber shop and spa along Moktar Daddah Street on May 21 at around 4pm and requested a complimentary massage.
Before the session began, the officer reportedly removed his Ceska pistol and placed it under a cushion.
According to his statement, he later felt dizzy and decided to rest inside the spa. When he woke up at approximately 11pm, he discovered the firearm was missing.
The officer reportedly searched for the weapon unsuccessfully before formally reporting the loss on May 25.
CCTV Footage Provides Key Leads
As part of the investigation, detectives reviewed security camera footage from both the spa and the supermarket where the weapon was eventually recovered.
Investigators say the footage captured a suspect wearing a cap, apparently in an attempt to conceal his identity, as he approached the supermarket’s luggage holding area and abandoned the carrier bag containing the firearm.
The images have become a key piece of evidence in the ongoing investigation.
DCI Launches Manhunt
Police have now launched a manhunt for the individual believed to have stolen and abandoned the firearm.
The disappearance of the pistol had sparked concern among security agencies due to fears that it could be used to commit crimes while missing.
Detectives are continuing to analyze evidence and trace the suspect as they seek to establish the motive behind the theft and recover the two missing rounds of ammunit.
