Police in Juja, Kiambu County have arrested four suspected robbers who killed a guard at newly established Midnight Gardens in Kimbo area.

Armed with various forms of crude weapons, the suspected criminals are said to have attacked the entertainment joint early Monday, February 19 morning.

After switching off electricity and disconnecting a standby generator which is the club’s alternative source of power, the suspects later managed to tie the guard on duty with a rope before killing him using a power-enhanced metallic club.

According to Kiambu County police commander Michael Muchiri, police recovered other crude weapons including a jack with a resemblance of a gun and which they used to inflict fear among bartenders present during the 4 am incident.

Already, the criminals had managed to steal expensive alcohol brands which are believed to be destined for sale in various markets.

The supposed criminals led by the prime suspect John Maina, who reportedly operates a butchery in Ruiru and Utawala, had loaded the expensive liquor inside a Toyota Noah vehicle with fake number plates.

Muchiri told journalists that sleuths have been trailing the criminals for some time after they successfully conducted similar raids at newly established clubs in the county.

The arrests

After gathering information about their whereabouts, police laid a trap at the entertainment joint and as soon as they began their thuggery activities, police officers descended on them managing to arrest four.

The county police boss noted that another criminal believed to have been working with the suspects in custody is on the run but police are following crucial leads to have him arrested.

Jeff Wachira, the entertainment joint manager revealed that they had incurred huge losses amounting to over one million shillings saying that they had just restocked the establishment before the criminals laid the attack.

He lauded that technological investment installed at the club including CCTV cameras hugely aided in the arrest of the criminals.

A call to government

Area MCA Ngatha Wambiri who responded to the distress calls by the bar attendants called on the government to heighten security in the area by providing them with a patrol vehicle.

Wambiri noted that such crimes have been on the rise in the recent past and urged entrepreneurs wishing to establish similar entertainment joints to embrace technology to help combat such break-ins.

He however lauded police officers for swiftly moving in to arrest the criminals and protecting them from members of the public who were baying for their blood.

Story by Gitau Wanyoike