Head of notorious gang terrorising Mathare Valley residents shot dead

Police gunned down the de facto leader of a city infamous gang that has been terrorising residents of Mathari Valley and its environs.

The criminal who went by the name Ngaruiya was gunned on Monday evening.

Ngaruiya was the head of an infamous gang known as Katombi that has been wreaking havoc in Mathari and neighbouring estates.

He had four other accomplices in his gang and together they robbed people at gunpoint with impunity.

The gang staged a broad daylight robbery along Mau Mau road in Bondeni, Mathare Sub-county on Monday at around 4:00 pm.

Katombi gang robbed the innocent pedestrian of his mobile phone and other valuables.

The incident was reported to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives based in Starehe who immediately launched a serious manhunt for the gang.

The criminal gang continued with their criminal activities against innocent members of the public unbeknownst to the DCI officers’ manhunt.

The two-hour manhunt came to an end when an officer spotted the five-man gang deep inside an informal settlement adjacent to the river.

A wild chase ensued after the criminals defied police orders to stop as they scrammed in different directions.

Ngaruiya quickly drew his pistol fired shots towards the fast approaching police officers.

However, he was no match for the trained officers who reciprocated his fire with precise shots that brought the Katombi gang leader down.

Ngaruiya’s accomplices could not wait to suffer the same fate as their leader. They dived into a raw sewer-infested river that was flowing by and swam downstream to save their lives.

The Starehe based detectives sent a message to the escaped thugs issuing a 24-hour surrender ultimatum otherwise hell will break loose on them.

Criminal gangs have been terrorising residents living in the informal settlements within the city for years.

Most people blame poverty and lack of employment as the chief causes of crime in the areas.