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{
"id": 202407,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/202407/?format=api",
"text_counter": 130,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Munya",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister, Office of the President",
"speaker": {
"id": 279,
"legal_name": "Joseph Konzolo Munyao",
"slug": "joseph-munyao"
},
"content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I have two Ministerial Statements. One of them relates to Kenyans who were killed in Tanzania. KILLING OF SUSPECTED CRIMINALS FROM 4128 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES September 25, 2007 KENYA BY TANZANIAN POLICE Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on 12th September, 2007, the hon. Member for Laikipia West, hon. G.G. Kariuki, rose on a point of order to request a Ministerial Statement concerning the killing of 14 Kenyans in Moshi, Tanzania. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on 5th September, 2007, 14 suspected criminals were gunned down by the Tanzanian Police in Weruweru Area of Hai District. The suspects comprised of 13 Kenyans, including an adult female and one unidentified suspect believed to be a Tanzanian. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, following that incident, a team of officers from the Special Crimes Prevention Unit was dispatched to Tanzania to investigate the killings. According to preliminary investigations, the suspects entered Tanzanian territory on 4th September, 2007, all through temporary permits, through the Namanga Border Point, and proceeded to Weruweru area, 13 kilometres from Moshi Town. The following day, the suspects were driving along Weruweru Road on the way to Moshi Town. According to initial investigations by the Kenyan security team, the Tanzanian Police in Kilimanjaro Region had, a day earlier, received information about an intended bank robbery. The police acted swiftly by laying an ambush in Weruweru area in order to pre-empt the intended robbery. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, at about 7.30 p.m., three vehicles approached the police ambush area. The vehicles were being led by vehicle registration No.TZ 298A KK, a Suzuki Vitara. The other two vehicles were following it at a distance. The police noted that the vehicles were the ones they were looking for and opened fire at the first vehicle. The suspects fired back at the Tanzanian Police and their nearby parked official vehicle. During the shoot-out, the police managed to shoot down five suspects, including an adult female. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, some of the other suspects, who were in the other two vehicles, tried to flee on foot, but nine of them were gunned down in a nearby farm. However, the drivers of the other two vehicles managed to escape with an unknown number of suspects. A total of 14 suspects were gunned down at the two scenes. There were no casualties reported on the side of the Tanzanian security personnel. However, vehicle registration No.T168 AA, a Toyota, had five bullet holes on both the windscreen as well as on its left top side, an indication that there was, indeed, an exchange of fire. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, after the shoot-out and upon search, the police officers recovered the following: Three AK-47 rifles, two Tokalev pistols, one Ceska pistol, two hand grenades, 207 assorted ammunition, motor vehicle registration TZ298A KK, Suzuki Vitara, passport and temporary entry permits as well as identification documents, mobile phones and assorted currencies of different countries. Also recovered were two sketch maps which indicated the location of a local Exim Bank and the road leading to and from the bank. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, a Kenyan detective fingerprint expert who had accompanied the team lifted the suspects fingerprints for comparison with the criminal records held in Kenya. It was established that ten of the 14 suspects who were gunned down had adverse criminal records which included robbery with violence, carjacking, illegal possession of firearms and assault. Most of them have cases pending before various courts. The rest are accomplices. Among the recovered firearms were three AK-47 rifles. One of the AK-47 rifles belongs to the Government of Kenya. The firearm was taken from the late police constable Duncan Muchiri on 15th July, 2007, during a robbery at the Barclays Bank, Westlands. The late police constable was killed by robbers during the incident. Similarly, a Ceska pistol recovered by the Tanzanian Police from the suspects was stolen within Mwingi District in 2000, from one police constable Richard Njiru. The officer has since been dismissed from the Kenya Police for failing to take due precaution of the firearm. September 25, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 4129 From initial investigations and from the above evidence, it is evident that the gunned down suspects were on a robbery mission in Tanzania. However, the Kenyan Police and their Tanzanian counterparts are carrying out investigations on the incident and we are still waiting for the final report, which will be placed in the public domain. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir."
}