The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has arrested six suspects linked to the fatal shooting of Police Constable Bernard Koome in Thika, Kiambu County, marking a major breakthrough in the high-profile murder investigation.
Constable Koome, a member of the Special Police Intercept and Verification (SPIV) unit, lost his life on June 18 during what began as a routine motorcycle inspection at Cravers, near the Thika-Garissa Road interchange.
The operation took a violent turn when a confrontation with a rider spiraled out of control, ending in the officer’s tragic death.
In a press statement released on Monday, July 21, the DCI stated that detectives had arrested five of the suspects; Joseph Ngotho Karanja, Benjamin Kambo Mwangi, Athanase Ndacaisaba, Kelvin Mbilika Ollingo, and Samuel Omurambi, at a Kahawa West hideout. The operation followed weeks of exhausting tracking and forensic analysis that helped narrow down their location.
During the operation, police impounded a vehicle with number KDQ 529W, which they suspect was used in the perpetration of the offence. The sixth suspect, Philip Muiruri Muchiri, was then arrested in the Kiamumbi area, rounding off a well-coordinated arrest process.
All six suspects were taken to the Thika Law Courts, where detectives got a 21-day custody order to allow time to carry out additional investigations. The court scheduled the case for mention on August 11, 2025, as the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) compiles evidence before pressing formal charges.
Deadly Motorcycle Patrol
Eyewitness accounts described how Constable Koome and his fellow SPIV officers had stopped a boda boda rider whose motorcycle lacked the unique registration code required for licensed operators in Thika. When an officer removed the ignition key to prevent the rider from escaping, the verbal exchange escalated.
Suddenly, the rider overpowered Koome, drew a gun, and shot him in the throat at point-blank range. The other officers, caught off guard, scattered for safety, unable to return fire.
The gunman then fled on foot, eventually hijacking another motorcycle near Royale Hotel and speeding off. In his haste, he dropped a loaded magazine, which detectives later recovered as crucial evidence.
Koome’s colleagues rushed him to Thika Nursing Hospital, but despite emergency efforts, doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival.
Photos of the suspects as provided by the DCI.
