A key suspect in the September 12 abduction and assault of blogger Bruce John Khajira, also known as Chawa - 001, was apprehended at the Lunga Lunga border as he attempted to flee to Tanzania. The suspect, Omar Ali Mohamed, also known as Nyanya, had been evading capture since the incident.
The arrest followed a meticulous operation by detectives working alongside the Immigration Department, who had intelligence on plans by the alleged masterminds to help implicated individuals escape the country. In a detailed investigation by DCI HQ detectives, Mohamed was linked to both the primary and secondary locations of the crime and was found to have been in frequent contact with other suspects before, during, and after the assault.
Through digital forensics, detectives identified a grey Nissan Note with registration number KDQ 394C, which was used to transport the victim from his home to the crime scene. The vehicle, which Mohamed rented on August 20, 2024, was returned on the evening of September 12 after the incident. Authorities have since impounded the car.
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Investigators traced the car to the initial crime scene at a Mombasa County construction site in Bonje, where the victim was reportedly held for two hours before being transported to Mwakirunge, where he was abandoned. Additional suspects have been identified and have been urged to surrender to authorities.
Four suspects—Abdul Athman, Violet Adera, Esther Muthoni, and Haji Babu—have already appeared in Shanzu Law Courts in Mombasa County, facing charges of abduction and sexual assault of the Mombasa-based blogger. According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), they have been charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and abduction with intent to confine. Hassan and Babu also face charges of gang rape and assault with intent to cause bodily harm.
All four pleaded not guilty before Senior Resident Magistrate Robert Mbogo and requested bail, which the prosecution opposed, arguing they pose a flight risk.
The blogger alleges that around 20 individuals, identified as county officers, abducted him from his Bamburi home, assaulted him in the Miritini area, and later abandoned him near the Mwakirunge dumpsite. He claims they broke into his home and demanded he accompany them to an undisclosed location to apologize for his criticism of the Mombasa County Government.
