WEEK (3) JULY, 2019 ISSUE
SUMMARY HEADLINES
INSIDE STORY
SECURITY SUMMARY SUMMARY OF INCIDENTS BY TYPE. CRIME RATES MURDER CASES ROBBERY CARJACKING TERRORISM RIOTS ETC
>Gamblers seek alternatives after Gov’t shuts down betting companies >Form 2 girls arrested over alleged plot to poison classmate released Woman allegedly stabs husband to death at Nakuru bar >Residents protest mysterious death of Isiolo businessman >Woman arrested after allegedly killing boyfriend in her house >Fear of Shabaab attacks keeps Lamu locals indoors >Records destroyed as fire burns Kitui County finance offices >3 relatives heading to burial killed in IsioloMeru road crash >KVDA hit by crisis after bosses arrested over dam scandal
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GRAPHS EXP
Figure 1: Crime trend analysis
Figure 2: Business analysis
month of July
June/July months
In Business Gamblers seek alternatives after Gov’t shuts down betting companies July 23, 2019 Even as the top sites in the country like SportPesa and Betin are among 27 betting firms whose licences have been revoked and their directors ordered out of the country, gamblers are undeterred and have sought other platforms. The Ministry of Interior on July 10, 2019 suspended pay bills and short-codes belonging to 27 betting firms who by the government account failed to abide by all the license renewal requirements. Even so, the remaining alternatives can only accommodate so many gamblers talking of site crashes and delayed reimbursements on winnings. With fears on the survival of the multi-billion dollar industry, gamblers have opened up to the possibility of holding offshore accounts which, unlike their domestic counterparts, would sit well beyond the view of the State’s prying eyes.
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Security Incidents Form 2 girls arrested over alleged plot to poison classmate released July 23, 2019 Three Makueni Girls High School students who were arrested for allegedly planning to poison their classmate over a boy have been released from police custody. The case, which was previously reported at the Makueni Police Station where the suspects were being detained, has since been thrown out and the school administration directed to oversee it to a logical conclusion. Confirming the incident, Makueni County Deputy Police Commander Justus Kitetu said cases only proceed to courts depending on their gravity. The alleged plot by the minors, all aged 15, was busted when their class prefect reported it to the school Deputy Principal, Dorcas Nzioka on July 18, 2019 at around 10pm. According to the class prefect, the three had planned to poison another 15-year-old girl in their class – Form 2B – alleged to be in a relationship with a boy from the nearby Makueni Boys High School who was also dating one of them. They were allegedly supposed to execute the plan using chemicals stolen from the school laboratory, namely: hydrochloric acid, Benedict’s solution and phenolphthalein indicator. The executor however developed cold feet on the plan at the last minute, leading to a quarrel among them. She (executor) then opted to blow the whistle and reported to the class prefect who in turn informed the school administration. Woman allegedly stabs husband to death at Nakuru bar July 23, 2019 Police in Elburgon, Nakuru County, are holding a 34-year-old woman alleged to have stabbed to death her husband at a bar in the area. The incident reportedly occurred when the woman got drunk and went to a nearby butchery where she found a knife. She then returned with it to the bar and stabbed her husband Benson Chege who was a waiter at the establishment on the shoulder; killing him on the spot. According to sisters of the deceased, they were informed that he had been involved in a scuffle on Monday around 11pm. They added that, upon rushing to the scene, they found that the 33-year-old had already succumbed to his injuries and reported the matter to Elburgon Police Station. Residents protest mysterious death of Isiolo businessman July 23 2019 Relatives and friends of Isiolo businessman Patrick Gitonga, who allegedly died after he was roughed up by police officers, staged a protest on Tuesday demanding for justice. Transport was paralyzed on the Isiolo-Moyale highway for about an hour as hundreds of mourners marched in Isiolo town while carrying a casket bearing his body. A post-mortem examination conducted last week revealed that Gitonga died from excessive internal bleeding after he was hit on the head by a blunt object. Residents led by Timau Ward Rep George Kimathi asked the government to investigative the incident and bring culprits to book. Gitonga’s family called for investigation to ascertain the circumstances that led to their kin’s death. He died in hospital where he was taken hours after he was detained at the Isiolo Police Station following the brawl in Nyara in the outskirts of Isiolo town about www.twentyfour.co.ke
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three weeks ago. Police earlier said he was roughed up by an irate mob after he overpowered the four armed officers who had gone to arrest him. The officers claimed he complained of illness while in custody and was rushed to the hospital where he passed on shortly after admission. But witnesses said Mr Gitonga was roughed up by the officers who later took him to the station while badly wounded. Woman arrested after allegedly killing boyfriend in her house July 23, 2019 Police in Kirinyaga County are holding a 30-year-old woman who is alleged to have stabbed to death her 36-year-old boyfriend. The two had a fight at the woman’s house in Kutus Mjini Trading Centre, before the man was stabbed with a kitchen knife in the left rib area. The deceased; Peter Kariuki, bled to death, dying on the spot. It was not immediately clear what caused the fight between the two. However, according to neighbours, the two had separated but Kariuki allegedly wanted the girlfriend, Christine Wangui, to allow him back in her rented house. Love gone raw July 23, 2019 A 29-year-old man narrowly escaped death after being stabbed for allegedly having an illicit affair with another man’s wife. Isaac Gitau was allegedly busted by Shadrack Munene, 38, sleeping with his wife in his (Munene’s) rented house at Rurie Air market Village in Kirinyaga County. Munene is reported to have grabbed a knife and stabbed the 29-year-old man on the chest, close to the heart. The woman, Gladys Wanjiru, raised an alarm alerting the neighbours who rescued the 29-year-old man. Wamumu Area Chief Godfrey Mithamu, who arrived at the scene accompanied by armed police officers rescued Gitau and rushed him to a local private hospital.
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Fear of Shabaab attacks keeps Lamu locals indoors Residents in Ishakani and Ras Kamboni on the border of Lamu and Somalia were on Saturday forced to remain indoors for hours as security agencies pursued suspected AlShabaab militants said to be planning attacks in the area. Locals who spoke to the Nation said security officers instructed them to limit their movements in the area to pave way for the security personnel to conduct massive crackdown on suspected Al-Shabaab militants who have been launching attacks and attempts in the areas in recent days. Ishakani and Ras Kamboni villages are within the ongoing multiagency security Operation Linda Boni zone. The operation was launched in September 2015 and sought to flush out Al-Shabaab militants believed to be hiding inside the dense Boni Forest. Another resident, Mohamed Omar, said they had heard reports of a terror attack that had taken place between Ishakani and Ras Kamboni on Saturday. A security source who talked to the Nation on condition of anonymity said there was indeed a terror attack that had happened in the area but refused to give details. Residents also observed an increase in the number of security personnel and vehicles that were patrolling the area on Saturday and the early hours of Sunday. But another security official dismissed the attack claims, saying that the gunshots that residents heard were from a routine drill that was being conducted by security agencies in the various camps within the operation area. A week ago, three Al-Shabaab militants were killed while two police officers from the Rapid Border Patrol Unit (RBPU) were critically injured during an explosive attack along the Kiunga-Ishakani-Ras Kamboni road. The device is suspected to have been planted on the road by Al-Shabaab militants. Efforts to seek a comment from Linda Boni Security officials concerning the Saturday incident were, however, futile as they were unreachable by phone.
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Records destroyed as fire burns Kitui County finance offices July 22 2019 Valuable records and equipment worth millions of shillings have been destroyed after a fire broke out at the Kitui County’s Finance department. The fire, whose cause is yet to be established, broke out Monday at 2am and razed a block of county offices which houses the budget and economic planning departments. The office complex had its furniture, computers and cabinets holding county records reduced to ashes. According to a statement released by Deputy Governor Wathe Nzau, also affected is the records office but county officials and police are yet to establish the full extent of the damage. Dr Nzau urged police to conduct speedy investigations into the cause of the fire and appealed for calm from staff and Kitui residents. The offices, which are situated a few meters from the county commissioner’s office, are guarded round the clock by Administration Police officers. Early this year, thieves broke into the same Finance department and stole payment vouchers and other documents and no arrests have been made so far. In February 2018, another night fire burnt a three-storey office complex housing eight county departments. A senior county officer was later arrested and arraigned alongside two night guards after months of investigations. 3 relatives heading to burial killed in Isiolo-Meru road crash Three family members, among them a pastor and his wife, died on Saturday morning in an accident on Isiolo-Meru road. They had been heading from Isiolo to Mwingi, Kitui County, for a relative's burial when their vehicle collided head-on with another car at Maili Saba. They died at the scene while the pastor's son was taken to Isiolo County Referral Hospital with critical injuries. Buuri Sub-county Police Commander Joseph Asugo said the occupant of the other vehicle, a Catholic priest based in Isiolo, drove into the wrong lane. The priest may have been drunk, he said, adding he fled after the crash. The Nation established that a Catholic priest and seminarian escaped with minor injuries. Police towed the wreckage to Subuiga Police Station and took the bodies to the Isiolo hospital's morgue. Faithful of the African Inland Church in Isiolo described the incident as "weird". Mr. Charles Kamau, who goes to the branch in Shambani, said, "We have lost a great man of God. We pray that God grants the family peace." KVDA hit by crisis after bosses arrested over dam scandal July 23 2019 Uncertainty has gripped the management of the Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) following the arrest of senior officials implicated in the multi-billion shillings Arror and Kimwarer dams projects. Administrative and financial management has been paralysed in key departments after detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) arrested the managers. Among those arrested is acting Managing Director Francis Kipkech. Several others have gone underground and this has affected smooth operations at KVDA. Among key departments that have been affected include finance, supply chain management, technical and administration. KVDA board chairman Jackson Kiptanui Tuesday said that they are waiting for directions from the Ministry of East African Community on how the authority will handle the current challenge.
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Woman stabs and kills man in Elburgon after quarrel July 24 2019 A man was on Tuesday attacked and stabbed to death by a woman in Elburgon town, Nakuru County following a scuffle. While confirming the incident, Molo Sub-County Police Commander Isaac Odumbe said that Benson Chege Mwangi, 32, was found lying in a pool of blood outside Ebenezer Butchery in Elburgon on Tuesday night. He succumbed to the injuries on arrival at Elburgon Sub-County Hospital. Mr. Odumbe said it was not immediately established why the woman, identified as Margaret Wambui Njuguna, 34, attacked the man and stabbed him in the neck using a kitchen knife. An eye witness who declined to be named said the two were in a disagreement before the incident occurred. Mr. Odumbe said the knife that was used in the killing was found at the scene. He said the suspect was arrested by police officers as angry mob threatened to beat her and that she will be arraigned. Meru Speaker's bodyguard dead after 'shootout with driver' July 21 2019 The incident took place at Kamiti Corner in Kasarani, Nairobi, outside a house belonging to the sister of the Speaker's driver Andrew Nabea. Police suspect that a misunderstanding between the two resulted in the shooting. From the scene, police collected Mr. Muhaso's Ceska pistol that had 15 bullets and Mr. Nabea's Ceska pistol which had three bullets. They said Mr. Nabea, who had a civilian firearm certificate, had spent 20 rounds of the ammunition and that the car had only one bullet hole on the side. In Business News Real estate brokers ease fears of sector crashing even as property prices fall July 23, 2019 After consistently growing year over year over in the past decade, growth in property prices began to falter first in 2017 in a regression that has continued to shadow the industry in 2019. While the forces of demand and supply have played their part in price correction, credit constrains to stakeholders in the sector have emerged as an even greater challenge to the continued creation of value. The pricing of real estate may at the moment represent an all out doom and gloom at the moment but prospective home owners can beam on the availability of options. The buyers will like their counterparts in development run into credit headwinds as the majority of households’ incomes remain constrained by an ongoing tough economic environment composed of tightening credit availability to the private sector and spillover effects from prior economic hurdles. Shilling shaken as top Treasury officials charged The shilling sunk further on Tuesday to hit a day low of Sh103.80 at 1pm, just an hour after two top National Treasury chiefs were charged with corruption. Cabinet Secretary Treasury Henry Rotich and Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge spent the night in police custody after the director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji ordered their arrest for allegedly inflating a commercial loan for the construction Kimwarer and Arror dams by Sh17 billion. Although the shilling has been under pressure in past weeks, it hit new 20- month high yesterday, surpassing Monday’s rate of Sh103.67 as captured by the Google currency tracker. Money traders attributed the weakening of the local currency to several factors including shocks arising from arrests of the Treasury officials, mass dumping of shilling due to ongoing demonitisation and high demand for dollars by importers. www.twentyfour.co.ke
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US woman gets 25 years for killing daughter to 'remove demons' July 25 2019 Angela Phakhin had been convicted in June of the first-degree murder of Maiya and the sentence was pronounced last Friday. A California woman has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for killing her three-year-old daughter, who was left in a hot car for nearly 10 hours to cleanse her of demons, officials said. Angela Phakhin had been convicted in June of the first-degree murder of Maiya and the sentence was pronounced last Friday, the district attorney's office in Sacramento said. Phakhin's fiance, Untwan Smith, has also been charged in the case and is awaiting trial. The pair moved to California in February 2016 from Arkansas and were living in their car, authorities said. Over a two-week period in June 2017, the couple subjected Maiya to extreme summer temperatures, they added. On one occasion, she was left in a car for four-and-a-half hours and the next day for nineand-a-half hours, which resulted in her death, prosecutors said. Phakhin and Smith were arrested on June 28, 2017 in Rancho Cordova, north of San Francisco, after their SUV was spotted by police parked the wrong way. Officers began searching the car after a records check revealed that Smith had an outstanding warrant in Arkansas. Maiya was found underneath blankets in the back seat and was pronounced dead at the scene. Mombasa police arrest two with heroin, seize Sh1m July 25 2019 Two people were on Thursday arrested with heroin in Bamburi, Mombasa, police said. Ms. Ruweida Fara, 34, was nabbed alongside 24-year-old Abubakar Yahya. Police also seized Sh1 million in cash from the suspects' houses. The money is believed to be proceeds of drug trade, the Directorate of Criminal Investigation said on its Twitter handle. Coast regional DCI boss Washington Njiru said the suspects will appear in court Friday. "We are processing some documents so that we can arraign them and seek to hold them for more days to complete investigation," said Mr. Njiru. Driver, turn boy in narrow escape as lorry falls into ocean July 23 2019 Operations at the busy Likoni crossing were Tuesday morning temporarily disrupted after a lorry plunged into the Indian Ocean. The driver of the lorry, Salim Musa and his turn boy, Katana Ali, narrowly escaped death after the lorry fell into the sea on the mainland side of the channel. The lorry was disembarking from MV Harambee when its brakes failed and it reversed into the ocean. The mainland side ramp was slippery following heavy rains that pounded Mombasa early morning. The vehicle, belonging to Mombasa Maize Millers, was transporting flour worth Sh600,000 to Ukunda in Kwale county. ‘I was driving up the ramp when the brakes failed. Luckily I had not locked the doors and that’s why we managed to come out from the vehicle safely after it got into the water,” driver. The incident might lead to shortage of flour in Ukunda where the lorry was headed. “We were to supply the flour to our clients but the salty water has destroyed the bundles of flour. This is a total loss,” turn boy. A rescue team from the Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) arrived at the scene some minutes after the incident happened.
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QOUTE OF THE WEEK
Some days are just bad days, that's all. You have to experience sadness to know happiness, and I remind myself that not every day is going to be a good day, that's just the way it is! I don't go by or change my attitude based on what people say.
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TREND ANALYSIS Figure 1: Distribution of incidents by type of neighbourhood
Figure 2: Distribution of incidents by their type (Graph)
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