BABU OWINO’s security guard makes a daring escape as police arrest goons being ferried in 3 vehicles armed with crude weapons - Were Linda Mwananchi leaders planning to stage an attack and blame government? (PHOTOs)

Sunday, August 16, 2026 - Fifteen suspected members of a criminal gang have been arrested, while a cache of crude weapons has been recovered following a coordinated operation in Kisumu County.

The operation followed intelligence that a group of people suspected to be armed with crude weapons was travelling in three vehicles along the Kisumu-Kericho highway.

Acting swiftly on the information, detectives from the DCI Operations Support Unit (OSU), working alongside officers from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB), Nyanza Region, and DCI Kisumu Central, moved in and intercepted the vehicles.

The suspects were found aboard a grey Toyota Noah, registration number KCR 790A, and two white Toyota Hiace vans, KDM 377M and KDE 819U, both operating under the Nyakija Classic Shuttle along the Kisumu–Migori route.

A search of the vehicles and the suspects yielded several mobile phones, assorted machetes and pangas, knives, ropes, a metal rod/club and other items suspected to have been intended for criminal activities.

As the operation unfolded, one suspect identified as Oliver Jaoko, alias Oliveti, and believed to have been leading the group, made a daring escape by jumping through a vehicle window.

Oliveti (pictured below) is said to be a security guard to Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino and has previously been linked to several criminal activities.

The 15 suspects, together with the recovered exhibits, were taken into custody and are being processed pending arraignment, as detectives continue their investigations.

Meanwhile, detectives are hot on the trail of the suspected gang leader, who managed to escape.

Questions are now being raised over whether the suspects were planning to disrupt the Linda Mwananchi rally in Homa Bay on Sunday and whether there was any intention to stage an attack and blame the government.

See photos shared by DCI.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.