Stolen Police AK-47 Recovered After Fatal Machakos Shootout

Kenyan detectives have recovered a police AK-47 rifle stolen during a violent attack on an officer in Mavoko nine months ago, following a fierce gun battle that left one suspected gangster dead in Machakos County.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations said the firearm was recovered in the Mashokani area of Matungulu Sub-County, along the Koma–Kenol Highway, where officers had cornered a gang believed to be terrorising residents. Acting on actionable intelligence, detectives flagged down a Toyota Harrier carrying the suspects. Instead of surrendering, the occupants opened fire, prompting a shootout.

One suspect, armed with an AK-47, was fatally wounded during the exchange. His accomplice, who was carrying a pistol, escaped and remains the subject of an active manhunt. From the deceased suspect, officers recovered an AK-47 rifle loaded with 11 rounds of 7.62×39mm ammunition.

Preliminary investigations confirmed the weapon was the same rifle stolen from a police officer during a robbery in Athi River, Mavoko, last November. During that attack, three armed men accosted the officer while he was guarding a residence, shooting him in the chest and both legs before fleeing with his service weapon — loaded with 30 rounds at the time — and his mobile phone.

A search of the suspects’ vehicle also yielded eight mobile phones, four balaclavas, crowbars and torches. Crime scene investigators processed the site and collected evidence for further analysis. The body of the slain suspect was transferred to the Kangundo Level 4 Hospital mortuary pending an autopsy.

The DCI said detectives have launched a hot pursuit for the escaped suspect as investigations continue. “As the escaped suspect remains on the run, detectives are leaving no stone unturned in the hunt to bring him to justice and unravel the gang’s wider criminal network,” the agency said in a statement.

The recovery marks a significant breakthrough in a case that highlighted the dangers faced by officers on duty and the persistent threat posed by armed criminal groups operating along major transport corridors. Authorities have urged members of the public to volunteer any information that could assist in apprehending the remaining suspect.