Kisumu, May 2025 – A joint operation between Kisumu West detectives and the Nyanza Regional Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau has led to the arrest of two notorious suspects linked to a violent robbery and gang-rape incident that occurred in Ongallo village.
The attack happened on the night of May 12, 2025, when a woman and her cousin left Billionaires Bar and Restaurant at Kisiani Market. While heading home in a tuk-tuk, they were ambushed upon arrival at their gate by three men armed with machetes who alighted from a grey Toyota Axio.
The suspects forcibly dragged the woman into the vehicle while her cousin managed to escape. As the vehicle sped off towards Kisiani Junction, the attackers used the victim’s phone to demand money while continuing their journey. The victim was later found abandoned at Daraja Mbili along Kiboswa Road, having been sexually assaulted and robbed of her phone and valuables.
Following the incident, detectives launched a rigorous investigation, utilizing forensic evidence and surveillance to trace the criminals. Their efforts paid off when the suspect vehicle – a Toyota Axio registration number KDA 019U – was spotted in Kisumu’s central business district.
A high-speed chase ensued as the suspects tried to flee through the city from Patel Junction towards Kondele. Their escape ended abruptly after a crash. The driver, identified as Fredrick Oduor Ongori, was arrested at the scene.
Upon interrogation, Ongori revealed the location of his accomplice, John Okumu Owidhi, also known by the alias “Matools.” Detectives tracked and apprehended him in the Obunga slums of Kisumu.
Further background checks revealed that both suspects are escapees from custody, and had been evading law enforcement for some time.
The two men are now in police custody, facing multiple charges, including gang-rape, robbery with violence, and prison escape. Authorities have vowed to continue the pursuit of other gang members believed to be part of the wider criminal network.
