Five policemen arrested in Kenya huge cash robbery

Nairobi,Kenya - Police have recovered US$ 75,675, believed to be part of the US$ 337,837 stolen in Nairobi on Wednesday and arrested five fellow policemen.

They have six more suspects, five of whom are regular police officers, bringing the total number of those in custody to 12.

Police sources, involved in the ongoing investigation, said five of the suspects are members of a specialised police unit serving in Nakuru, 160 kilometres west of Nairobi, the capital.

The sixth is a woman, said to be the wife of a police officer who is also in custody.

Police said the woman was arrested when police intercepted a private car she was travelling in on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway and recovered a sack with the money.

"She is helping us in the investigations, because through her, we are able to know where she found the money and the people she had been talking to," a senior police officer said.

By late Wednesday, police had announced the recovery of Sh1 million, taking the total number of recovered cash to Sh6.6 million.

Head of the Special Crime Prevention Unit, Richard Katola, whose unit is heavily involved in the investigations was not available for comment Thursday.

The money disappeared in a well-executed heist which saw suspected robbers steal the money being transported from a bank to ATMs in Nairobi in an armoured car escorted by armed police officers.

Nobody was injured and no bullet was fired in the robbery in which one of the police escorts was found lying in the van, unconscious.

It was suspected that he was sprayed with a dangerous chemical or drugged. His firearm, an MP5 rifle, was found intact.

The suspects arrested were trailed to Kikopey, west of Nairobi, where investigators believe they had gathered to coordinate the transfer of part of the loot, or to aid those transporting the money.

They were not found with any amount of money or material that can be linked to the heist but detectives said one of them had been in constant communication with a suspect who was arrested immediately the robbery occurred.

Police also said they were interrogating some four staff of the G4S security com pany to help unravel the mystery surrounding the robbery that has puzzled security agencies.

Meanwhile, an Administration Police officer who was found unconscious while clut ching his rifle in the G4S security van, is still admitted to the Forces Memorial Hospital in Nairobi.

Nairobi - 24/09/2009

Pana