Detectives in Kiminini have arrested a key suspect believed to have been behind the coordinated coffee theft syndicate that has been terrorizing factories and cooperative societies within the region.
The successful arrest follows a number of robbery reports made in late November, prompting a multi-agency crackdown.
The criminal spree reached its peak on the night of November 25, 2025, when a mob of around 50 thugs raided Sowek Kenya Company Limited in Waitaluk, armed with pangas.
Their bold approach involved slicing through the barbed wire fence, binding two security guards with ropes, and mercilessly assaulting them before disappearing into the darkness with the guard’s phones and nine beds of drying coffee.
Sowek attack came a day after a similar one at the Kiungani Coffee Growers Cooperative Society, where a group of armed men infiltrated the parchment drying section, after digging a hole through the brick wall, vanishing with approximately 25 bags each weighing 50 kg of precious P1 coffee parchment.
The two incidences raised concerns among members of the public, farmers and factory managers, who feared the rise of more criminal activities targeting the cooperative society.
Acting on crucial forensic leads, the detectives launched a well-coordinated crackdown, apprehending Gregory Kingasia Wekesa, a key suspect who had been notorious for purchasing coffee from dubious sources without any authorization.
He was found in possession of a substantial haul believed to be part of the stolen produce.
According to the detectives, Wekesa well known as Maingi was found with 18 bags of coffee beans totaling to approximately 1,800 kg, five bags weighing about 500kg hidden inside his home, and an additional 13 bags weighing approximately 1,300 kg left outside to dry in the sun.
He is currently being held in custody at Kiminini Police Station alongside the recovered coffee, as the authorities prepare for his arraignment.
The crackdown goes on as the authorities intensify their efforts to dismantle all possible networks behind the coffee thefts and to ensure security on farmers’ produce across the entire region.
