Gang members or victims? Why these 7 men fear for their lives
The seven suspected gang members who were linked to the gang called the Shantit Group, known to operate in Mathare Sub-County. They have however pleaded their innocence, explaining they are members of a legitimate organisation, the Vision Bearerz group.
Seven men residing in Mathare woke up on May 23 to find their names plastered all over social media and marked as targets by death squads. They were accused of being members of a notorious gang.
The self-styled crime busters believed to be police officers who use social media to profile suspected criminals, some of whom are later found murdered, alleged that the men were responsible for a spate of crime in Mathare 3C Mabatini area.
Mr Moses Nyoike, Mr Gilbert Musyoki, Mr Kevin Mbugua, Mr Davis Gichere, Mr Joseph Kahuho, Mr Joseph Kariaga, and Mr Brian Irungu were identified as the suspected gang members.
They were linked to the gang called the Shantit Group, known to operate in Mathare Sub-County.
When contacted by Saturday Nation this week, the suspects pleaded their innocence, explaining they are members of a legitimate organisation, the Vision Bearerz group.
Fearing that they could become victims of extrajudicial executions, they agreed to an interview at Mathare area to discuss their day-to-day lives, address the allegations levelled against them and plead with authorities to help them clear their names.
Some admit they have had run-ins with the police in the past, but insist they are now reformed.
The social media crime busters claimed that criminals in Mathare 3C Mabatini operated with impunity due to the protection provided by a criminal justice centre within the jurisdiction.
In one post, a self-styled crime buster identified as Saigon Punisher stated: “I wish to highlight insecurities within Mathare 3C in Mabatini, members of the public are dying in silence because of some criminals who steal and assault them. Those miscreants are fearless because they’re under the protection of criminal justice centres based within the said jurisdiction.”
According to the allegations, Mr Nyoike was identified as the ring leader who disguises himself as a tout during the day while terrorising locals at night. Mr Musyoki was identified as his deputy in the gang.
Fearing for their lives, the men presented themselves at Huruma Police Station in Starehe Sub-County, Nairobi, this week where the matter was officially reported and assigned Occurrence Book (OB) number 48/25/5/2023.
Last Friday, Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji and Haki Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid visited the main office of the Vision Bearerz group at Mathare as part of a campaign to support community development groups. They even planted trees as a symbolic gesture before taking a tour of the Mabatini Slums.
Investigations reveal that the Vision Bearerz group was registered on January 6, 2023. The members say they are surprised at the public profiling as criminals.
The members also say that the crime busters were wrong as they said that one of them had been shot dead.
“We attended the burial of a friend who died in a road accident. His name is Francis Kanjathi. They should have checked their records before claiming that he was killed after being cornered committing a crime,” explained Mr Nyoike, who is the group’s chairman.
Here are their accounts.
Mr Moses Nyoike
Moses Nyoike, Vision Bearerz youth group chairperson during an interview after being profiled as one of the criminals terrorising residents at Mathare 3C, Nairobi on June 1, 2023.
He says that the photo that was shared on social media was taken four years ago.
Mr Nyoike, who is the chairman of the Vision Bearerz self-help group, said that the photo was taken from a video footage of a comedy he participated in.
He admits in the past he was involved in crime but has since reformed.
“It is time that the crime busters realise that if at all I was engaged in crime, that is a thing of the past because currently I am driving the youth towards change and telling them that we can still make it even if things are hard,” he said.
He insisted “The officers are linking us to what we are not and it will be better if they pay us a visit so as they can understand what we do currently.”
Asked whether he had ever been arrested, Mr Nyoike admitted he was nabbed in 2013 during protests by Kenyans who released two dozen piglets and poured blood on the pavement at the gates of Parliament in Nairobi during a protest against lawmakers’ demands for higher pay.
Mr Nyoike said he has a certificate of good conduct certificate from the office of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations as well as a passport.
Ms Jane Wambui, 45, his mother, told Saturday Nation the officers should have conducted investigations before profiling his son.
Ms Wambui, a fruit vendor, said that locals in Mathare showed her the images and what had been shared with the officers even before her son had spoken to her.
“I arrived home trembling and wondering whether my son was okay, that is when we made a decision to report the matter to the police and ask them to investigate him,” she explained.
Ms Wambui acknowledged her son might have been entertaining bad company in the past but has since transformed
Mr Gilbert Musyoki
Gilbert Musyoki, Vision Bearerz youth group Assistant Secretary during an interview after being profiled as one of the criminals terrorising residents at Mathare 3C, Nairobi on June 1, 2023.
Mr Musyoki said that the image which was shared by the crime busters was taken in 2018.
“In my whole life I have never been arrested by the police, when I saw the photos I wondered why someone would profile people who have never even engaged in crime,” said the 25-year-old who said he was Vision Bearerz group’s deputy secretary.
“If I am summoned to any police station I will honour the summons. Profiling me on social media and calling me a deputy to a criminal gang leader is not in order,” he protested.
Mr Musyoki also said that he had a good conduct certificate issued by DCI. He explained he cleared his Form Four but was unable to proceed to a tertiary institution because his parents could not afford school fees.
Mr Kevin Mbugua
Kevin Mbugua, a member of Vision Bearerz youth group during an interview after being profiled as one of the criminals terrorizing residents at Mathare 3C, Nairobi on June 1, 2023.
Mr Mbugua told the Saturday Nation that the photo which was shared by the crime busters was taken in 2012 and that he has been forced to remain indoors most of the time since the photos were shared because he fears for his life.
“Police officers should conduct clear investigations before they start profiling people. To be honest, I have never even been arrested for any crime. I sit here wondering what wrong I did,” Mr Mbugua said.
Mr Mbugua alleged that someone might be lying to the officers and issuing them with old photos and linking them to crime.
“I request that if there is any problem, instead of the officers ending my life, it’s better they summon me to their offices. I will avail myself,” said the man who said he dropped out of school in Form Two.
Mr Davis Gicherea
Davis Gicherea, Vision Bearerz youth group Secretary during an interview after being profiled as one of the criminals terrorising residents at Mathare 3C, Nairobi on June 1, 2023.
The 25-year-old is the only one in the group to attend university and it is for that reason that they picked him to serve as their Secretary.
Mr Gichere said he had just handed in his academic project and is scheduled to graduate in December this year.
“When this group was starting I was not even around. I only joined after clearing university,” said Mr Gichere who says he is a Bachelor of Commerce student at the University of Eldoret.
Mr Gichere said that the photo which was shared by the crime buster was taken in 2018 in the company of his other friend, Mr Joseph Kahuho, 24, who is also targeted.
He explained that he has never been arrested by the police and wonders why he is now linked to crime.
“If in the past I associated myself with people who broke the law, then it is very wrong but the officers should know that I am clean and ready to honour summons in case they call me,” he said.
Mr Joseph Kahuho
Joseph Kahuho, Vision Bearerz youth group Treasurer during an interview after being profiled as one of the criminals terrorising residents at Mathare 3C, Nairobi on June 1, 2023.
Mr Kahuho told Saturday Nation that the photo was taken in 2018 along Maumau Road which links Juja Road and the Thika Super Highway.
“On that day I was with Gichere and I was heading to my rural home in Limuru. We asked a mutual friend to take a photo of us. After that we forgot about that moment apart from the likes and comments that we received on social media,” said Mr Kahuho.
He admitted he was once arrested when police officers found him without a face mask at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
“The officers should have their own intelligence teams to confirm whether what they hear is true. I have a good conduct certificate. How did I get it if at all I am a criminal?” Mr Kahuho posed.
Mr Joseph Kariaga
Joseph Kariaga, a member of Vision Bearerz youth group during an interview after being profiled as one of the criminals terrorizing residents at Mathare 3C, Nairobi on June 1, 2023.
The 26-year-old said the local Nyumba Kumi security team should help them clear their names.
“At times officers should take time before making any conclusions because they end up subjecting someone like me to humiliation as people tend to think I am a criminal,” he said.
Mr Kariaga said that the image shared by the crime busters was taken in 2022 when he joined members of the group in distributing food to children within the community.
Mr Brian Irungu
Brian Irungu a member of Vision Bearerz. He was also profiled.
Mr Irungu said that his photo was taken in 2022 and he wonders why he should be linked to crime despite his charity work in the area.
“As a group we have brought change to the community, as you can see we are engaged in several things including farming and also rearing of pigs,” he said, adding he has never been arrested.
Mr Irungu said the negative publicity on social media is harmful and defamatory.
Amnesty International
When Saturday Nation contacted Amnesty International, Country Director Irungu Houghton expressed deep concern over the re-emergence of Facebook posts allegedly made by police officers, and pledged to “hunt down and neutralise” criminal suspects in Mathare.
The human rights organisation has strongly condemned the posts, asserting that the execution of suspects based solely on suspicion is not only illegal but also an act of crime in itself.
Irungu emphasised the importance of upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights of all individuals, including criminal suspects.
While acknowledging the necessity of arresting and prosecuting individuals involved in criminal activities, Mr Houghton insisted that the extrajudicial killing of suspects should not be tolerated.
“The declaration contradicts President William Ruto’s directive and the Kenya Kwanza manifesto promise to end the prevailing culture of extrajudicial killings,” stated Mr Houghton, emphasising the government’s responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of all its citizens.
Starehe Sub-County Deputy Police boss Mr William Kunani told Saturday Nation that they were aware of the matter and had launched investigations.
Kunani said the members of the Vision Bearerz Group should go on with their activities as long as they are legal.
“We are aware of the matter and already kicked off investigations into the whole thing. No one should be worried about anything as long as they follow the law,” he said.
Mabatini area chief Mr Mugo Njogu said that he was planning a meeting to discuss the plight of the men.
“I want to ask members of the group to be calm and ensure that they follow the law, we are planning to hold a meeting this week so that we can discuss the way forward and ensure that they are all safe,” said Mr Njogu.
