A senior Nairobi police officer has been arraigned before the Makadara Law Courts after his arrest over an alleged kidnapping, robbery and extortion syndicate accused of targeting online business vendors in the city.
Inspector Kelving Mwangi Muraguri, the Deputy OCS at Drive In Police Post, appeared in court alongside co-accused Stephen Okello Obewa to face charges of robbery with violence under Section 296(2) of the Penal Code.
According to charge sheets filed at Kasarani Police Station, the alleged offence occurred on July 30, 2026, within Kasarani Sub-county.
The prosecution alleges that the two suspects violently robbed Kanuti Konrad, a Tanzanian national, of an iPhone 17 valued at KSh60,000, a Nokia mobile phone worth KSh1,000, and two Mimic mobile phones valued at KSh15,000. Court documents further state that the victim was subjected to violence during the incident.
Victims Ambushed During Online Delivery
Investigators say the incident began when Konrad and his wife, Beatrice Naliaka, travelled to Baba Ngogo to deliver an Apple Smart Watch that had been ordered through an online transaction.
Upon arriving at the agreed location, the couple was allegedly ambushed by armed men, handcuffed and forced into a white Toyota Axio.
According to investigators, the suspects first compelled Konrad to withdraw KSh17,000 from a nearby service station before demanding an additional KSh1 million ransom.
The gang later drove to the Equity Bank Githurai 44 Branch, where Naliaka was allegedly held hostage inside the vehicle while Konrad was ordered to withdraw the ransom money.
Bank Alerts Leads to Arrest
Inside the bank, Konrad discreetly alerted a teller about the alleged kidnapping. The bank official immediately notified armed security guards and a nearby Special Crimes Prevention Unit patrol team.
Police responded swiftly, firing warning shots that led to the arrest of Obewa, who is alleged to own the vehicle used during the operation.
During subsequent investigations, detectives say Obewa implicated several serving police officers in the alleged criminal network, leading to the arrest of Inspector Mwangi later the same evening.
Manhunt for More Suspects
Police say investigations have revealed that several other officers allegedly linked to the operation remain at large.
Authorities have launched a manhunt for the suspects identified as Oliver Baraza, Job Sidiga and Cyrus Onyango, who are wanted in connection with the alleged kidnapping and extortion scheme.
The prosecution had asked the court to detain the accused persons to allow investigations to pursue the wider criminal network.
However, the proceedings took an unexpected turn after the complainants and the accused informed the court that they had reached an out-of-court settlement. Following the request by both parties, the case was withdrawn.
The circumstances surrounding the settlement were not immediately disclosed in court.
