Three suspects linked to a botched robbery attempt along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway have been arrested nearly three months after one of their alleged accomplices was fatally shot during the incident.
Detectives in Mtito Andei arrested Alex Mueti Kasina and Stephen Kalungo Joel at their hideout in Kinyambu on Friday, while a third suspect, Jamlick Muli Muasa, also known as Star, was arrested the following day at his shop in the area.
According to the DCI, the arrests follow investigations into an incident on May 6, 2026, near Mutomo, Mtito Andei, where a gang riding a motorcycle allegedly staged a fake roadside emergency to force a transit driver to stop.
The suspects then allegedly attempted to hijack the driver's Subaru Impreza at gunpoint.
However, the attempt went wrong when the gang's firearm discharged during a struggle with the driver, fatally shooting one of the attackers, identified as Gift Musau.
His accomplices fled the scene on a motorcycle, leaving Musau behind.
"They may have escaped that day, but detectives never abandoned the trail," the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said.
Police said sustained investigations and intelligence-led operations eventually led detectives to the suspects.
A search of Muasa's shop recovered two mobile phones, while another search at his residence in Maikuu, Kinyambu, yielded several identity cards and driving licences bearing different names, among other items.
The three suspects are expected to be arraigned on Monday, August 24, where they will face charges including murder, attempted robbery with violence and being in possession of ammunition without a licence.
Investigations are continuing as detectives work to establish the full circumstances of the robbery attempt and determine whether the suspects are linked to other crimes along the busy highway.
The DCI said it remained "relentless in pursuing criminals and dismantling networks that prey on innocent Kenyans and other road users."
Police have urged members of the public with information about criminal activity to report anonymously through the DCI's reporting channels.