Stolen police firearms recovered in Nyamasaria, Kisumu County

Two of the rifles stolen from Kipasi police post in Homa Bay on November 17 were on Wednesday night recovered in Kolwa, Kisumu County.
The recovery came barely a day after detectives recovered another G3 rifle in Rabuor, Kisumu County a few kilometres from Nyamasaria and arrested one suspect.
Officers on foot patrol on Wednesday at around 10pm said they sighted a motorcycle which did not have number plates and flagged down the rider to stop. He instead made a U-turn and the pillion dropped suitcase he was carrying.
“Upon search, the officers found two G3 rifles without buttstocks, 7 G3 rifle magazines, 175 rounds of ammunition, 9 blanks, a pair of handcuffs and one spent cartridge,” the local police commander said.
On Tuesday police recovered another rifle and arrested one suspect. Acting on a tip off, detectives raided the residence of Ezekiel Ongany Nyumba where they conducted an extensive search and recovered the rifle, serial number A36699056, and loaded with 20 rounds of ammunition.
The owner of the homestead was not found but the officers arrested his son, Charles Nyumba Ongany.
Unknown people raided Kipasi police post on the night of November 16 and broke into the station’s armoury under unclear circumstances and took off with the firearms including three G-3 riffles, one AK-47 assault rifle and 110 rounds of ammunition.
The suspects had stolen six weapons but abandoned two on a footpath as they escaped. Four police officers who were on duty were later arrested and presented in court ahead of a planned arraignment.
Dozens of police firearms and ammunition have been stolen in the last few months with very little recoveries made.
On November 10, for example, bandits also raided Suiyan police post in Samburu North and stole four assault rifles and 120 rounds of ammunition.
Samburu North police commander said three bandits armed with AK47 rifles stormed the station at around 5pm and stole an AK47 rifle, three G3 rifles, nine G3 magazines containing a total of 180 rounds of ammunition and an AK47 rifle containing 30 rounds of ammunition.
On September 24, armed bandits shot dead eight police officers, a local chief and two members of public on Saturday night in Turkana East, Turkana County. The bandits also stole the officers’ firearms.
In October last year, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in charge of the Kenya Police Service Edward Mbugua directed that all police posts with less than six officers be closed and the officers deployed to the mother stations.
The directive came just a day after unknown people raided Kirimon police post in Samburu Central and stole two G3 rifles together with two magazines loaded with a total of 40 rounds of ammunition.