A Beretta pistol registered to Court of Appeal Judge Aggrey Muchelule has been linked by detectives to a series of violent robberies across Nairobi, Kiambu and Kilifi counties after it was recovered during a police operation targeting an alleged armed robber in Machakos County.
The firearm was recovered in Joska, Machakos County, where detectives shot dead a suspect following a confrontation during an intelligence-led operation. Investigators believe the suspect was a member of a criminal gang connected to the recent robbery at Chaii Wali Café in Spring Valley, Westlands, and several other violent attacks.
Police said officers recovered the Beretta 92-series pistol together with four rounds of 9mm ammunition and three mobile phones. Subsequent checks at the Firearms Registry established that the weapon had been issued to Justice Muchelule in 2018.
According to investigators, the judge told detectives he only realised the firearm was missing after receiving a call informing him that it had been recovered during the Joska operation. He reportedly went home to verify whether the pistol was still in his possession but was unable to locate it.
In his statement to police, Justice Muchelule is said to have explained that he was issued with the pistol together with 15 rounds of ammunition. Detectives now believe at least 11 rounds have been fired, with ballistic investigations seeking to establish whether the weapon was used in several reported crimes.
Among the incidents under investigation is the armed robbery at Chaii Wali Café, where gunmen allegedly raided the restaurant in broad daylight and robbed customers before escaping on motorcycles. Investigators also suspect the firearm may have been used during a violent robbery in Mtwapa, Kilifi County, earlier this year.
Police records further indicate that the judge’s firearm licence expired on October 1, 2025 and that the pistol was classified as inactive after the licence lapsed. Justice Muchelule reportedly informed investigators that although he had begun the renewal process, it was never completed.
Detectives are also examining whether the same firearm was used in another robbery in Ruaka, Kiambu County, where an armed suspect allegedly stole a mobile phone worth more than Ksh100,000 before firing a shot into the air and fleeing on a motorcycle.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has deployed officers from the Operation Support Unit to pursue additional suspects believed to have participated in the Westlands and Ruaka robberies. Both incidents were captured by CCTV cameras and remain under active investigation.
In a separate but related operation, detectives arrested six suspects in Vipingo, Kilifi County, over a violent burglary committed in Mtwapa on January 28, 2026. Searches conducted at the suspects’ residences led to the recovery of six mobile phones, eight national identity cards bearing different names, two Somali swords, two machetes, 18 rolls of cannabis and Ksh7,000 in cash suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Investigations into how the judge’s firearm left his possession, as well as its suspected involvement in multiple robberies, are continuing. No criminal charges relating to the firearm have been announced, and detectives say inquiries remain ongoing.
