Police in Thika have launched a manhunt for a gang that shot and injured a man before robbing him of Sh450,00 in a car deal gone wrong.
According to a police report obtained by this reporter, a man named Benson Mburu was shot in the stomach over the weekend by an unidentified gunman after completing a transaction with a buyer who purchased his saloon car for Sh450,000.
The two had arranged the deal through social media and agreed to meet in Thika town in Kiambu County.
“The buyer handed over the money to Mr Mburu after leaving a bank in the town. Moments later, he was confronted by two men, one of whom shot him in the stomach,” the report reads in part.
Witnesses who spoke to police said the victim, who is currently at Thika Teaching and Referral Hospital, refused to hand over the black bag containing the cash, leading to the shooting.
When he collapsed and started writhing in agony, the two assailants snatched the cash and fled the scene.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are currently investigating the matter.
They have also launched a manhunt for the man who bought the car, who they now believe has information that will help them in their investigation.
On several occasions, the DCI has warned members of the public to be very cautious when making online transactions.
The DCI also expressed concern over the skyrocketing online fraud cases and warned Kenyans to be extra vigilant when engaging in digital transactions.
Many Kenyans have fallen victim to fraudsters who exploit unsuspecting online shoppers.
“We therefore advise members of the public to be cautious when conducting online transactions to avoid falling prey to online fraudsters and scammers,” the DCI warned.
