Chinese Nationals Held Hostage in Violent Robbery at Kilimani Construction Site

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 27 — Police are investigating a violent robbery at a construction site along Kilungu Road in Nairobi’s Kilimani area, where three Chinese nationals were held hostage and property and cash stolen.

According to a police report filed at Kilimani Police Station, the incident occurred on the night of Sunday, with the victims managing to raise the alarm at about 5am on Monday.

The report indicates that one of the victims returned to the Luna Oak construction site at around 11pm and found the site’s security guard, Augustine Momanyi, who works for Marshall Security Company, dressed in civilian clothes instead of his security uniform.

The guard was reportedly accompanied by three men who turned against the returning resident and attacked him with a kitchen knife.

The attackers allegedly took the house keys from his pocket, entered the residence, tied his hands and legs with a rope and confined him in the washroom.

At around midnight, two other Chinese nationals, identified as Chen Guang Jun, 37, and Yang Bin, 40, returned to the house and were also held hostage.

The suspects allegedly used crude weapons to break into other rooms, ransacked the house and stole electronic equipment, construction materials and cash.

According to the police report, Chen lost three mobile phones — an iPhone 13 Pro, an iPhone 10 and a Huawei phone — as well as a Huawei laptop and two television sets measuring 50 inches and 45 inches.

The suspects also stole 50 bags of scaffolding materials, two generators and KSh30,000 in cash.

Chen further reported that KSh10,000 was transferred from his Stanbic Bank account and another KSh87,000 from his M-Pesa account.

Yang reportedly lost an Oppo mobile phone and KSh80,000 in cash, while a further KSh2,000 was transferred from his account.

A third victim, Qian Hongxing, 53, reported the loss of two Oppo 13 mobile phones.

The attackers also disconnected and stole the CCTV installations at the premises, potentially removing equipment that could have helped investigators establish how the robbery was carried out.

The victims managed to raise the alarm at around 5am on Monday, prompting police officers to visit the scene.

Scenes of Crime personnel processed the premises as part of the investigation, while the crude weapons allegedly used during the robbery were preserved as exhibits.

The victims were taken to Nairobi Hospital, where they were receiving treatment in stable condition, according to the police report.

Police are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the alleged involvement of the security guard and the identity of the three men who reportedly accompanied him.

The report did not indicate whether any arrests had been made or whether the stolen property had been recovered.

The total value of the stolen property and the money lost through the reported transfers had not been established.