Two men arrested over couple robbery, gang rape in Kikuyu

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the suspects, identified as Kevin Ndereba Kilonzo, 29, and Shaban Warui Zainab, 34, were arrested in Kamangu, Kikuyu, on Friday, July 31, following an intensive investigation led by detectives from the DCI Headquarters' Operations Action Team (OAT), the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) and Kikuyu detectives.

The victims had been involved in a road traffic accident near Kikuyu Boys High School when the two suspects  approached them pretending to be Good Samaritans offering help.

Investigators say the suspects instead turned on the stranded couple, robbing them of their valuables, forcing them to disclose their M-Pesa PINs before withdrawing money from their accounts, and sexually assaulting the female victim.

The DCI said detectives relied on forensic analysis, intelligence gathering and other investigative leads to track down the suspects.

During the operation, officers recovered mobile phones allegedly used to facilitate the fraudulent M-Pesa transactions, as well as two pangas believed to have been used during the commission of the offences.

Police said investigations have since been expanded to pursue a suspected receiver of the stolen mobile phones and to establish whether the two suspects could be linked to other violent robberies and sexual offences reported in Kikuyu Sub-County and neighbouring areas.

The suspects are being held at Kikuyu Police Station pending an identification parade, completion of investigations and their arraignment in court.

The DCI also credited members of the public for providing information that helped investigators crack the case.

The arrests follow the attack that occurred at about 5:30 a.m. on Thursday at the KALRO Forest–Renguti Junction in Kerwa, Kikuyu Sub-County.

Police had earlier said the couple was driving home when their vehicle veered off the road into a ditch after the driver lost control.

The two men allegedly approached the victims under the pretext of offering assistance before attacking them with knives, stealing their mobile phones and forcing them to reveal their M-Pesa PINs.

The female victim was gang-raped during the attack, while both victims sustained injuries. Members of the public later rescued the couple and took them to P.C.E.A. Kikuyu Hospital for treatment.

The suspects are slated to be arraigned in court, where they will face formal charges of Robbery with Violence contrary to Section 296(2) of the Penal Code, and Gang Rape contrary to Section 10 of the Sexual Offences Act, 2006, as detectives continue to piece together more evidence.