This archive report was first published on 24 August 2020.
On Sunday night, a dramatic incident unfolded in Nairobi's Industrial Area, where eight suspected burglars lost their lives in a botched robbery attempt. The men, reportedly in their late 20s, were shot dead by police after they were found stealing machinery from a store.
According to eyewitnesses, the group had already broken into the premises of Sihra Coffee Machinery Service and Gensham Wood Enterprises godowns. The police team that responded to the alarm was attacked, prompting them to fire back and fatally injure the eight suspects.
Police recovered a lorry with the stolen machinery, as well as two homemade pistols and machetes from the scene. The incident is being investigated, with Nairobi police boss Rashid Yakub confirming that efforts are underway to apprehend the four suspects who managed to escape.
Senior officers visited the scene, and the bodies were moved to the mortuary for further investigation. This incident marks the single biggest number of suspects killed in a single operation in recent years.
