51 suspected Panga Boys gang members arrested in Kisauni

Arrest illustration/ FILE

Police have arrested 51 suspected members of the Panga Boys gang in Kisauni. 

The arrests were carried out in a continued effort to curb criminal gangs in the coastal region.

A multi-agency operation was conducted in Kisauni subcounty, targeting the neighborhoods of Corner Ya Kisauni, Jocham Hospital, Barisheba, Sunlight, Mwandoni, Junda, Cobra and Kadongo grounds.

During the operation, officers recovered five tuk-tuks believed to be used in phone snatching crimes.

The suspects are in custody at Mjambere police station, where they are undergoing processing ahead of their court appearance.

This comes days after at least 120 suspects linked to the machete-wielding criminal gang were arrested in Kwale county.

The arrest followed an incident where a gang attacked and robbed locals in Diani.

According to police, 63 suspects have already been taken to court, while police have requested 14 more days to hold 33 others under a miscellaneous application to allow for further investigations.

Another 16 suspects were arraigned in court on Tuesday, police said.

Seven machetes, believed to have been used by the suspects in their criminal activities, were recovered during the operation, police said.

Police also seized 18 rolls of bhang and several phones suspected to have been stolen.

New Msambweni Subcounty Police Commander Robinson Lang'at said that the operation will continue to target and dismantle the gang members.

Lang'at further advised beach goers to vacate the beaches by 6pm as part of efforts to deal with the menace.

“We are here to serve the public, and we assure them all is under control for now as we look for the gang behind these incidents,” he said.

The police commander said that more personnel from multiple agencies have been dispatched to continue with the crackdown.

“Investigative interviewing on the suspects who are currently being processed for arraignment has provided leads to more notorious members that are still at large, and thus the crackdown has been intensified with more units being dispatched," he said.