The Bad Samaritan who returned to help his victims

Story and Illustration by Bilha Achieng | Layout by Geoffrey Onyambu | Published: 21st September 2026

Two men are on a motorcycle, riding along the Eastern Bypass on May 20, 2025. The pillion passenger is a 19-year-old boy, and he is holding a pistol.

At Mwihoko, there is a car that has broken down. Two men and two women are standing in front of the car, whose bonnet is open.

So the nini is not niniing in the engine?

The motorcycle stops and the 19-year-old gets off, and shouts at the four people, telling them to surrender their phones, wallets and the women’s handbags.

..simu, wallet na handbag. Haraka! ...Hii si bonoko!

The robber climbs back onto the motorcycle, and the two speed off. Moments later, police arrive at the scene, where a small crowd has gathered. Unaware of their presence, the 19-year-old returns on the same motorcycle, gets off and pretends to be helping the stranded motorists.

Then he spots the officers. One is staring directly at him. He bends down, pretending to tie his shoelace, but the movement lifts his trouser leg slightly, exposing his ankle.

A second officer notices something tucked into the young man’s sock. Turning to a colleague, he whispers:

“Hiyo si bunduki kwa socks ya huyu kijana?”

A police officer quietly moves in behind the robber and grabs him, bringing his pretence to an abrupt end. Another officer pulls the gun from his sock as the stranded motorists erupt in recognition, shouting: “Huyo ndio ametuibia saa hii tu!”.

Before the officers can react, the motorcycle rider suddenly accelerates and flees, abandoning his accomplice. The police bundle the 19-year-old into their Toyota Land Cruiser as the crowd looks on. Look out for Part 3