1. Edward Shimoli -this was one of the most slippery criminals that Kenya has ever seen. He was nicknamed after 'Carlos the Jackal', the terrorist from Venezuela who managed to escape from the police numerous times. Shimoli succeeded in staying away from police radar for more than a decade. He also escaped from jail three times. In 1996, his colleagues busted him out of prison by shooting their way through, a day before he was scheduled to face the hangman's noose. He was convicted of hundreds of bank robberies, 88 rapes, 14 murders and numerous drug deals.
2. John Batista Kiriamiti- He was born in 1950 in Central Kenya. By the time he was only 20 years old, Kiriamiti was already on the most wanted list for a string of violent robberies around Nairobi. He was arrested in 1971 and jailed for 20 years in prison. While serving his sentence, he started writing his famous novel My Life in Crime. He was released 13 years later for portraying good conduct. However, he was jailed again in 1986 after being accused of being part of those planning to dethrone the then president Moi. He was released four years later for lack of evidence and is now a renowned writer.
3. Gerald Wambugu Munyeria Alias Wanugu- He was a tout before becoming a mechanic. Wanugu started criminal activities in the late 80s and was part of a gang that terrorized Kenyans until the 90s. He was a famous bank robber, managing to outrun the elite flying squad police unit plenty of times. This was until 1996, when his illustrious career came to an end in Nakuru. Both he and his girlfriend were sprayed with bullets when they were spotted running errands together. Wanugu reportedly tried to use his girlfriend as a human shield, hoping for a negotiation.
4. Anthony Ngugi Kanagi Alias Wacucu- was part of a gang that reigned supreme for almost a decade. This was from the 80s to the 90s. He committed hundreds of armed robberies, bank heists and murders. In his earlier years, Wacucu was a matatu driver with exceptional mechanic skills. This explains how he was able to out run the police during car chases. In 1996, he was gunned down in Rongai, Kajiado. The controversy in his death came from his mother. She claimed that the body which they buried didn’t belong to his son raising questions as to whether he really died or escaped.
5. The Embu GK Prison Escape Crew- Not many criminals dare to escape from prison once their days in crime come to an end. In fact, escape attempts are normally left to Hollywood characters such as Michael Scofield of the famous Prison Break TV series. However, in 2005, a group of inmates in the Embu GK Prison masterminded a very daring escape. The group stormed into the prison and rescued their brothers in crime, shooting and killing a prison warder. Silas Mugendi, Simon Gitau and Godfrey Mulwa were amongst the crew of escapees all in for capital offences.
6. Bernard Matheri Alias Rasta- He and his wife Mary Wanjiku were more than lovers, they were accomplices in crime. This is very uncommon in the lifestyle of Kenyan criminals since most prefer keeping their dirty laundry from their significant others. Their gang consisted of four. Matheri was killed in 1997. Two years later, his lover was arrested and jailed for seven years in prison when a robbery attempt on an armoured vehicle went wrong. The other member was John Kibera, the famous coffin stealer who recently got saved after escaping death. The last member, Timothy Ndegwa, is currently serving a life sentence at Kamiti Maximum Prison.
7.Peter Mwea Wakinyonga Alias Wakinyonga- His surname Wakinyonga is Swahili for strangle which is quite ironic. Apart from being a famous bank robber, he was also a cold blooded killer. He is the 'Godfather' in the history of Kenyan crime due to the lots of gangsters that he influenced. In the 1970s, Wakinyonga was the most wanted man in Kenya with a bounty of KES 100, 000 (USD 1,160) on his head. That was quite a large amount in those days. In his lifetime, he robbed millions of shillings from various banks countrywide. He was killed in 1978 after a dramatic gunfight with the police in a club in Kangemi, Nairobi.
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