A former thief from Korogocho, Nairobi, recently shared a harrowing account of an incident that involved robbing a matatu, a passenger minibus, in which his own father happened to be traveling. This confession was made to Edmac Media Studios by Samuel Odhiambo, shedding light on the inner workings of their criminal activities in the Baba Dogo stage area.
In this particular instance, their target was a matatu preparing to depart for Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD), carrying only four passengers. Odhiambo and his gang swiftly boarded the vehicle and, with a calculated approach, demanded that all passengers hand over their possessions. Their operations were methodical, with designated roles for each member, including lookouts, coordinators, and an enforcer carrying weapons.
Odhiambo, just 21 years old at the time, found himself in the role of the enforcer. He vividly recalled the shock he experienced when he realized that among the passengers was his own father. Initially failing to recognize him, their eyes eventually locked, leading to a moment of hesitation. Despite his father’s ailing condition, he decided to proceed with the crime to fulfill their mission, all while witnessing the shock on his father’s face.
After successfully collecting the passengers’ belongings and making their escape, the gang dispersed in different directions to avoid detection, later reconvening at a rendezvous point to divide the loot. According to Odhiambo, each member walked away with Ksh10,000 and various valuables, including phones, jewelry, and tablets.
The shock of witnessing his son’s involvement in the robbery led to Odhiambo’s father being hospitalized that day. Fortunately, he was discharged a few hours later after receiving medical attention.
Reflecting on this life-altering incident, the remorseful 21-year-old acknowledged his father’s understandable disappointment upon returning home that night. Instead of involving the police, his father chose to encourage his son to ponder the direction of his life. Despite extensive contemplation, Odhiambo admitted to returning to a life of crime, but it would be several more years before he fully comprehended the gravity of his actions.
Born and raised in Korogocho, Odhiambo disclosed that his involvement in criminal activities had begun during his secondary school years when he would misappropriate funds intended for his education.
