Residents of Teachers and Mawanga estates are living in fear following frequent attacks by robbers posing as police officers. This follows last Thursday night’s incident in which several people were injured and robbed in Mawanga by armed robbers clad in military fatigue. The raiders ambushed patrons and bar owners along the Nakuru-Subukia road. Victims of the encounter said a six-man gang stormed one of the joints and injured them with gun butts before stealing money and mobile phones in just 20 minutes. Christopher Waweru, an interior designer based in Nakuru town, lost Sh5,000 cash and two mobile phones in the attack. He said he had just alighted from work and ventured into one of the joints when the robbers struck. “At first I thought they were police officers on normal patrol. I attempted to walk out of the pub but I was blocked and forced back inside by one of the thugs who was standing at the entrance. He hit me on the head with a gun. I bled as I surrendered to his orders,” said Waweru. He added that the thugs lashed a female attendant at the joint with a plastic whip as they ordered her to surrender money and her mobile phone. “They ordered everyone to lie down and not to look up as they ransacked our pockets taking away phones and money,” said Waweru. Waweru added that the crooks moved to the next bar after locking the victims inside the building. The officer in charge of the Teachers’ estate police post, Mercy Musyoka, said police arrived at the scene after the robbers had escaped and recorded statements from the victims. She said investigations would be launched to unmask the robbers. Increased insecurity from armed robbers who target businesspeople in the larger Teachers and Mawanga estates has baffled local security agents and elders. It is suspected that some local crooks who spend time in local illicit drinks joints could be colluding with criminals from outside to terrorise residents. Area chief Mary Kamau had warned residents to be watchful of the robbers the day before the Mawanga attack.

Share news tips with us here at Hivisasa