Police in Nyeri County on Wednesday captured a wanted individual suspected of being involved in violent robberies, drug dealing, muggings, and theft of mobile phones.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) revealed that Peter Ndiritu Ndirangu, also known as Kimaitho, aged 35, was located in the Weitemere area following a tip off from local residents.
Upon searching him, law enforcement found 12 sachets of heroin, 9 rolls of cannabis, a machete, and two kitchen knives in his possession. Despite being released from prison in December 2023, Kimaitho has allegedly been involved in various attacks reported in Weitemere, Majengo, Kiawara, and Blue Valley areas of Nyeri.
DCI stated that due to his criminal record, Kimaitho has been remanded at King’ong’o prison without the possibility of bail.
“The ex-convict has been remanded at King’ong’o prison without the option of bail following his criminal record,” said DCI.
Crime rates in Nyeri town and its environs have been on the rise since late last year, with early evening muggings the order of the day.
A recent study indicates that Kenya’s crime rate is among the highest in Africa. Conducted by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Crime, the research highlights Kenya as a significant center for terrorism, human trafficking, and money laundering. The report, titled “Africa Organized Crime Index 2023: Increasing Criminality, Growing Vulnerability,” carried out by ENACT, attributes this situation to widespread insecurity and a decline in democratic governance.
Kenya is categorized as having high criminality and low resilience. She has an average criminality score of 7.02 out of 10, which is above average in all criminal markets assessed . It receives high scores in areas such as human trafficking, human smuggling, extortion, arms trafficking, and trade in counterfeit goods. These illicit activities are stated to have detrimental effects on various aspects of Kenyan society.
The Index evaluates all 54 African countries based on their levels of criminality and resilience to organized crime. It used scores ranging from 1 to 10 for both aspects. In regional terms, East Africa stands out for its high criminality, followed by West Africa. East Africa is among the top five regions globally for criminality. It is marked by illicit activities and the influence of criminal elements. These elements are further exacerbated by prolonged conflicts that increase vulnerability to organized crime.
Police in Nyeri have arraigned a wanted suspect notorious for violent robberies, peddling, mugging and phone snatching, after he was arrested in a security operation yesterday by patrol officers at Weitemere area.
Peter Ndiritu Ndirangu alias Kimaitho, 35 was arrested after… pic.twitter.com/MCRV8n5cGo
— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) March 6, 2024