Police arrest 37 suspects in two-day security operation in Mukuru slums
Some of the suspects in police custody at Reuben police station.
Detectives in Makadara have arrested 37 suspects in a two-day sting operation in the Mukuru Kwa Reuben slum in Embakasi South sub-county in Nairobi.
Makadara police boss Timon Odingo said the raids were meant to curb runaway crime in the city.
The swoop on Sunday and Monday nights involved officers from several police units from police stations.
"There were reports of mugging where members of the public lost phones and money in the Gatoto and Rubis areas. They were usually robbed by a group of young men who escape towards the slum after committing the felony," he said.
Police arrested three people with 27 rolls of bhang, three suspects with 10 litres of chang'aa and five consumers.
Others arrested were 25 suspected muggers and one who was in hiding after being accused of defilement.
"Those arrested were aged between 17 and 34. While arresting the suspects, we found a suspect by the name of Mr Joseph Muli David who was accused of defiling a child vide OB 04/24/10/2022," Mr Odingo remarked.
Before the raid, Mr Odingo told the Nation that security meetings were organised after police received complaints from the public.
Eastern areas are residential
He added that the western part of Makadara division is safer because it is an industrial area while the northern, southern and eastern areas are residential.
"In the western part of Makadara, the area has industries where people work and after work, they leave to their rental houses. Elsewhere, such as in Kaloleni, Makongeni and Mbotela estates, there are residential houses,” he said.
“In South B, there are more than 10 slums. In the eastern part of our division, we have Kwa Reuben, Kingstone, Mareba, Tetrapak, Lunga Lunga, Sinai, Jamaica and Paradise slums among others. That is where crime is most prevalent."
He said the police have information about a group of youths believed to be from Shauri Moyo estate who cross Jogoo Road to commit crimes in Makongeni and Kaloleni estates.
"Those young men are very dangerous. They are armed and when they rob people in Makongeni and Mbotela they escape to Shauri Moyo estate, where they have their hideouts but their (proverbial) 40 days are approaching," Mr Odingo warned.
