Nairobi Cop who Singlehandedly Arrested Robbers in Viral Video Feted

The State has feted Kenyan police officer who singlehandedly arrested two robbers in Nairobi’s Westlands area last month.

A video of Constable Joash Ombati ordering the two criminals to disembark from a vehicle after trailing them went viral on social media, with Kenyan online users calling for promotion of the officer.

Ombati says he was on patrol near Villa Rosa Kempiski hotel when he saw a man being kicked out of a moving Toyota car shouting “wezi wezi”. 

“I saw a gentleman with a black bag being thrown out of a vehicle as it sped towards me,” he said last month.

“There was a taxi where I was standing. The driver told me the men are thieves and we needed to chase them. I entered the taxi and we followed them,” Ombati said.

 “I did not have time to get into the station to ask for backup. When the vehicle reached Mpaka Road, it hit a huge rock and stopped. I shot at the window and the occupants of the vehicle surrendered.”

 “A boda boda rider opened the front door and took the stolen money, but I went after him and recovered it. We realised the money was Sh400,000,” Ombati said.

The victim, Amos Charo, had travelled from the coast to buy construction materials in Nairobi and the two suspects identified as Sameer Kassim and Peter Musili drove him to Westlands to show him where he could buy them at cheaper prices, only to rob him.

Constable Ombati has been awarded a certificate for distinguished service by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i in recognition of his efforts.

 “We are giving you this certificate because we are very proud of you. We are proud of what you did. You have shown an example of how work should be done,” Matiang’i said while presenting the certificate to the officer.