A Kenyan student, Nicholas Mbuvi Ndolo, who resides in the United Kingdom, was robbed of property valued at KSh 2,008,725 while traveling by bus from Nairobi to Mombasa. Ndolo boarded a Green Line Royal bus on September 25 and struck up a conversation with a fellow passenger who introduced himself as Dennis. The two shared a meal during the journey, after which the man offered Ndolo a biscuit that had an unusual taste. Shortly afterwards, Ndolo lost consciousness.
Ndolo was discovered at Makupa Police Station in a weak and semi-conscious state on September 26. He was transferred to Tudor District Hospital for medical attention, and upon regaining full consciousness, he realised his backpack had been taken. The stolen items included a Kenyan passport, a UK visa, an HP laptop, a Xiaomi tablet, three mobile phones, power banks, bank cards, various electronic accessories, and £2,975 in cash, equivalent to approximately KSh 516,757.
Police used Apple's Find My feature to locate one of the stolen phones, which led them to Kisauni on September 29. There, they arrested a suspect identified as Abdulrahman Omar, whom police allege attempted to discard the device upon seeing officers approach. Omar subsequently directed investigators to Magongo, where a second suspect, Pius Paskale Prugence, a Tanzanian national, was taken into custody.
A search of premises associated with Prugence led to the recovery of some of Ndolo's belongings. Officers additionally found multiple other mobile phones, wallets, jewellery, and substances suspected of being used to render victims unconscious. The two suspects were presented to a Mombasa court, which granted police a 21-day detention order to hold them while investigations continue.
Detectives are also pursuing leads on whether the pair form part of a broader criminal network operating along the Nairobi–Mombasa route. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of bus passengers traveling along this route, with many calling for increased security measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
The Kenyan student had accepted a biscuit from a fellow passenger, which he later realised had been laced with a substance that rendered him unconscious. This incident is not the first of its kind, with several cases of bus passengers being drugged and robbed reported in recent years. Authorities have urged passengers to be cautious when accepting food or drinks from strangers while traveling.
The case is ongoing, with police investigations continuing to determine the extent of the criminal network involved. Ndolo's stolen property, valued at over KSh 2m, has been recovered in part, and efforts are being made to recover the remaining items. The incident serves as a reminder for travelers to be vigilant and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety while on the move.
Key points
- A Kenyan student was robbed of KSh 2m on a Mombasa bus ride after being drugged.
- Two suspects were arrested in connection with the robbery.
- Police investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of the criminal network involved.
