A man who disguised himself as a police officer to gain access to residential homes before holding families at gunpoint and stealing their valuables has been sentenced to 40 years in prison in Kilifi County.
The convict was found guilty of four counts of robbery with violence and one count of impersonating a police officer following a series of attacks targeting residents in Malindi and Kilifi towns. The stolen property was valued at approximately Sh4 million, with victims describing terrifying encounters that left some of them traumatised.
Highlights
- A fake police officer has been sentenced to 40 years in prison by a Kilifi court.
- He was convicted of four robbery with violence charges and impersonating a police officer.
- The gang allegedly stole valuables worth approximately Sh4 million.
- The robberies took place between November 2024 and March 2025.
- The court ordered professional psychosocial support for affected victims and their families.
Main Story
Kilifi Court Hands Fake Police Officer 40-Year Sentence
The Kilifi Law Courts have sentenced a man who impersonated a police officer to 40 years behind bars after being found guilty of terrorising residents through armed home invasions.
Principal Magistrate Ivy Wasike delivered the sentence after the prosecution successfully proved four counts of robbery with violence and an additional charge of impersonating a police officer.
The court imposed 30 years in prison for each robbery with violence offence, with all four sentences running concurrently.
He was also handed another 10 years for pretending to be a police officer. Unlike the robbery sentences, this additional term will run consecutively, bringing his total imprisonment period to 40 years.
The magistrate further granted the convict 14 days to appeal against both his conviction and sentence.
How the Gang Gained Entry Into Residents’ Homes
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the convict worked alongside an accomplice who was still at large during the trial.
The duo allegedly conducted several robberies in Malindi and Kilifi towns between November 15, 2024, and March 26, 2025.
Their approach involved knocking on residential doors and pretending to be police officers carrying out official operations.
Once occupants allowed them inside, they would allegedly overpower residents, threaten them with firearms and hold them hostage as they searched the houses for valuables.
Items stolen during the attacks included mobile phones, laptops, television sets, gold chains, rings, PlayStation consoles and other household belongings.
The total value of the stolen property was estimated at approximately Sh4 million.
Victims Describe Terrifying Encounters
During the court proceedings, the prosecution presented nine witnesses who gave accounts of the attacks.
Some of the robberies reportedly happened during daytime hours, including around 10am, midday and 1pm, when residents were carrying out their normal activities.
One victim narrated how the accused pointed a firearm at her daughter during an attack, while another described being physically intimidated and threatened with death.
The testimonies helped demonstrate the level of fear experienced by families during the incidents.
The prosecution argued that the attackers deliberately targeted residents at different times of the day, using their police disguise to gain entry before launching the robberies.
Court Rejects Convict’s Defence
In her judgment, Magistrate Wasike found that several victims had positively identified the accused during police identification parades.
She dismissed his argument that he had been wrongly identified and rejected his claim that he was in Migori attending his grandmother’s burial when the robberies occurred.
According to the ODPP, the accused failed to provide supporting evidence for his alibi, including testimony from a witness or documentation showing that he had travelled to Migori.
The court also dismissed his explanation concerning a gunshot wound to his leg at Kilifi Bridge on March 26, 2025.
He had claimed that he was accidentally shot while dropping off a passenger.
However, the prosecution established that police officers had organised an ambush following reports of a robbery in Malindi, leading to his arrest.
Accomplice Later Killed After Police Station Escape Attempt
The ODPP also provided details about the second suspect, who allegedly continued committing robberies in Likoni after his associate was arrested.
Investigators later traced him to Mariakani, where a pistol and another handgun were recovered.
He was subsequently shot dead after attempting to escape from Likoni Police Station, according to the prosecution.
Court Orders Psychosocial Support for Victims
While delivering the sentence, the magistrate highlighted the serious psychological impact the robberies had on the affected families.
She observed that the attacks had been carried out in a particularly disturbing manner, leaving some victims so traumatised that they were reluctant to return to court to give further testimony.
The court also raised concerns about the dangers created during the police operation along a busy highway, noting that the exchange of gunfire exposed members of the public and officers to potential harm.
In a move aimed at helping those affected recover, the magistrate directed probation and aftercare officers to facilitate professional psychosocial support for victims and their families.
The ODPP further disclosed that the convict was already serving a separate 30-year prison sentence in another robbery with violence case before the Malindi Law Courts, following a plea bargain with prosecutors.
His latest sentence adds another lengthy prison term to his existing criminal record.
For the families who endured the terrifying attacks, the sentence offers a measure of justice, but the emotional scars may take much longer to heal. A police uniform should represent protection, never become a disguise for crime.
