Two Kenyan nationals are in police custody in Busia District while a hunt is underway for a third suspect following an aggravated robbery in which a motorcycle rider was attacked and his motorcycle stolen on Sunday morning. Those in custody are 21-year-old Brian Otieno, a resident of Matayos Village, and 20-year-old Kennedy Otieno, a resident of Bujumba Village, both in Busia County, Kenya.
Police are searching for Anthony Kennedy Charles, also believed to be a Kenyan national, who allegedly fled with the victim’s motorcycle after the attack. The victim, Edwin Wafula, a resident of Amagoro Village in Buteba Sub-county, was riding to church at about 6:00 a.m. when he was ambushed by three men along the Busia–Tororo Road near Mawero Islamic Primary School.
The assailants reportedly intercepted him, repeatedly struck him on the head before making off with his motorcycle, registration number KMGX 137B. According to the Bukedi South Regional Police spokesperson, Moses Johnson Mugwe, the arrests followed a tip-off from members of the public to Busia Central Police Station shortly after the robbery.
Mugwe said police officers who responded to the scene arrested two of the suspects while the third escaped with the stolen motorcycle. “The territorial police in Busia are investigating a case of aggravated robbery. Two suspects have been arrested while one suspect remains on the run, whom we shall apprehend,” Mugwe said.
Police officers who visited the scene also recovered another motorcycle, registration number KMGY 830S, which is suspected to have been stolen from Kenya. The motorcycle has since been impounded pending further investigations. A case of aggravated robbery has been registered at Busia Central Police Station, and detectives are continuing efforts to recover the stolen motorcycle and apprehend the fugitive suspect.
Mugwe condemned acts of mob justice after residents allegedly turned against police officers during the operation and vandalised a police vehicle. He warned members of the public against interfering with police work, saying investigations had commenced to identify and arrest those responsible for damaging the police vehicle.
“It is in that regard that we strongly condemn mob justice and interference with police work. We have opened investigations and shall arrest those who vandalised the police vehicle. Let this serve as a warning to anyone who takes the law into their own hands,” Mugwe said.
James Ouma, a resident, said they responded after hearing the victim calling for help. “We heard him raising an alarm and rushed to the scene. We managed to rescue him, but the robbers had already fled with his motorcycle,” James said. Another resident, Peter Magero, appealed for tighter security along the Uganda–Kenya border, saying criminals take advantage of porous crossing points to commit crimes in Uganda before escaping into Kenya-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
