Police officers from the DCI Wednesday afternoon shot dead seven suspected gangsters in a highway shootout drama at Kibunja trading centre in Molo.
The seven were part of a ten-man gang believed to be behind a spate of highway robberies between Burnt Forest and Salgaa.
They were accosted by the officers as they drove towards Eldoret in two vehicles.
The DCI officers, a source said, had been trailing them from Kayole in Nairobi.
Members of the public also suspected the two vehicles, a Toyota Fielder and a Prado, and tipped off the police.
Molo OCPD Daniel Kamanza, while confirming the incident, said that three other suspects managed to escape towards Molo town through Kibunja forest.
Four suspects were gunned down at Kibunja trading centre while the other three were felled 50 metres away as they drove towards Eldoret.
He said that detectives have launched a manhunt for the trio.
At the crime scene, police recovered an Ak 47 rifle, six AK 47 rounds of ammunition, three pistols, two of which are homemade, four rounds of pistol ammunition, two police radios, a pair of handcuffs and documents belonging to the suspects.
The Toyota Fielder and Prado were towed to Molo police station.
The police boss said that the suspects have been in the list of most wanted criminals. Kamanza said killing of the seven is a breakthrough in the fight against highway robbery.
He called on members of the public to co-operate with police in order to eradicate crime.
The police boss also said investigations are underway to ascertain if the vehicles belonged to the suspects or they had been hired.
Bodies of the suspects were taken to Molo sub-county hospital mortuary.
Traders from Molo said they have in the recent past been attacked by armed robbers the latest incident being an attack that occurred at Casino trading centre in Molo town on Tuesday.