Two Kenyan youths have been arrested for an alleged armed robbery in the US, according to the Kentucky Outreach and Information Network (KOIN) 6 News. The two youngsters – Nash Muraya, 21, and Alex Ngatia, 20 – were arrested on Monday morning after reportedly robbing a resident at gunpoint in Portland City, Oregon.
According to the KOIN 6 News, the victim was on his way to meet a friend from whom he was to buy gift cards when he was robbed by a middle-aged man who later fled in a vehicle that had two other passengers.
“The investigations started around 10:30 pm on Sunday in the 10100 block of Southeast Washington Street when police responded to reports of an armed robbery,” the KOIN 6 News reported.
Police later spotted the reported car in Southeast 106th, where a high-speed police chase ensued. The suspects’ vehicle was hit by a police spike strip, forcing them to abandon the car and escape on foot. However, it wasn’t long before police caught up with them.
A third suspect, a woman, was found in the abandoned car but was later released without charges. Portland Police told KOIN 6 News that upon searching the scene they found the gun that was reportedly used in the robbery.
“We were able to deploy a spike strip which hit the vehicle’s tyre; the driver turned off the lights and was driving recklessly just before the pursuit ended,” the police said.
The two suspects are now held at Portland Police station waiting to be charged with robbery with violence.
Previous Incidents
The arrest of the two Kenyan youngsters comes a few months after a Kenyan couple living in the US pleaded guilty to charges of fraud in October 2015. Mrs. Lyneth Nyabiosi Evans, 50, and Mr. Willie Evans, 53, had been indicted by a grand jury in June 2015 for what the prosecution termed as an attempt to fraudulently approve $2.7 million in payments to a company that the couple secretly controlled.
Documents released by Maryland’s District attorney, Mr. Rod J. Rosenstein, reveal that the couple hatched a scheme to bill Mrs. Lyneth’s employer, Sheppard Pratt Health System, for a project that was purportedly done by a firm controlled by the couple.
Before that, four Kenyans living in Houston, Texas, were convicted of conspiracy to commit marriage and visa fraud. Mr. Alfonso Ongaga, 36, Mr. Herman Ogoti, 53, Mr. Andrew Mokoro, 36, and Mr. Rebmann Ongaga, 33, were found guilty of unlawfully procuring naturalization.
Mr. Alfonso Ongaga and Mr. Andrew Mokoro were sentenced to 16 months in federal prison, while Mr. Herman Ogoti and Mr. Rebmann Ongaga were sentenced to a 6-month jail term.
