Further investigations revealed that the firearm is registered to Mr Isaac Wonder Daraja Motochi, a firearm’s license holder.
On December 4 last year, a car was involved in an accident near Kahawa Wendani.
Immediately after hitting a rail guard, the car stuck forcing three occupants - two men and a woman, out of the vehicle.
The three started fleeing the scene as members of the public approached the vehicle with plans to assist them.
The fleeing trio were armed and had to fire into the air, as a taxi driver tried to pursue them.
The criminals then forcefully boarded a motorcycle to escape from the scene, after forcing a boda boda rider to get off the bike.
The Good Samaritans then heard noises emanating from the car boot and on opening it, they found Mr Kennedy Kimuhu Gitau and Brian Karanja Mbui, mouth-taped shut and hands and legs tied with ropes.
After being assisted, the two men reported the matter to the police. A spent cartridge was recovered at the scene and one year later, the cartridge unearthed a crime syndicate.
After yearlong investigations, the police discovered that the cartridge was fired from a Ceska pistol, serial number A700990.
Further investigations revealed that the firearm is registered to Mr Isaac Wonder Daraja Motochi, a firearm’s license holder.
According to the police, the firearm has been used in several carjacking incidents in Kilimani, Ruai, Juja and Ruiru areas.
Narrating their ordeal to the police, Mr Gitau, a car seller said he received a call from Mr Karanja, a broker who informed him that there was a potential buyer based in Juja willing to buy a Prado.
Without hesitating, Mr Gitau drove off from his showroom on Kiambu Road and headed to Juja to meet with the interested buyer.
Police reports indicate that Mr Gitau and the potential buyer - identified as Robert - had communicated on phone and agreed on their meeting point and that he was willing to purchase the vehicle for Sh2 million.
Mr Gitau together with Karanja then proceeded to a home in Juja where they had agreed to meet with the buyer.
He met the ‘buyer’ and after inspecting the vehicle and doing a road test drive, the buyer asked Mr Gitau and Karanja that they pass by his residence before they proceed to a restaurant to complete the deal.
Unknown to Mr Gitau, the buyer was a criminal who had hatched a plan to make easy cash by holding the men hostage and demanding a Sh2.5 million ransom from his relatives and friends.
The two were just about to be ushered into a palatial home where the buyer was said to be residing when two armed men, riding on a motorbike ambushed them.
The armed men subdued the car dealers and locked them in one of the rooms in the Juja house, as they demanded for ransom.
For three days, the abducted men were held captive in the homestead as the car-buyer turned abductor made calls to his family and friends.
On December 4, the abducted men were tied with ropes, bundled into the same four-wheel drive car, and driven to a bank in Juja Town.
The investigations led to the arrest of Mr Motochi and it was then discovered that the pistol had been used in a series of robberies.
Last month, Mr Peter Mwangi presented the suspect before the Milimani Law Courts, seeking more time, to conclude investigations into the alleged robbery incidents.
Mr Mwangi pleaded with the court for more time arguing that he needed to carry out an identification parade where the suspect and his victims must be present.
He also submitted that he needed to subject his mobile phones to a cyber forensic examination and acquire the location of other suspects and the victims.
“That the fixed abode of the suspect is in question cannot be relied upon as he indicated that he does not have a permanent rural home and that he is currently being hosted by relatives,” Mr Mwangi said.
The officer indicated that investigations revealed that the same pistol was also involved in another matter in Kilimani and Ruai police station where the Director of Forensics raised a concern due to the fact that the said pistol was submitted by different stations in various criminal involvement.
Through his lawyer, Mr Motochi opposed the application arguing that the matter was first reported to Juja police station in December last year and the suspect was arrested by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Juja.
He said the suspect was presented before a Thika court on December 23, 2023, and charged with failing to secure a firearm. He was fined Sh15,000 which he paid.
The lawyer further revealed that the same matter was taken to another police station to harass Mr Motochi.
State prosecutor Virginia Kariuki denied the claim by the defence team and maintained that the same firearm had been used in a series of crimes.
The magistrate allowed the application stating that the offence was serious and the police needed time to do a thorough job.
Mr Motochi was then taken to Ruiru where the police also made a similar application and they were allowed to detain the suspect, pending the conclusion of the probe. The matter is coming up for mention next week, to confirm whether the police have made any headway.
