Four Arrested at Wilson Airport with 800 Litres of Stolen Jet Fuel

Four people are in police custody after they were allegedly caught trying to sneak 800 litres of jet fuel out of Wilson Airport in Nairobi, in what investigators believe was a carefully planned theft.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the suspects were arrested by officers from the Kenya Airport Police Unit (KAPU) after their actions raised concern within the airport.

According to the report, the group was travelling in a Mitsubishi Canter and appeared to be moving like any other vehicle within the busy airport environment. Their plan, police say, was to quietly exit without drawing attention. But officers intervened before they could leave the premises.

Authorities later identified the alleged owner of the fuel as Gladys Ndumba Kanairo. Investigators established that she did not have a valid gate pass to access or move goods out of the airport. The vehicle they were using also lacked the required clearance from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), which is mandatory for transporting petroleum products.

A search of the truck revealed four large drums, each filled with 200 litres of jet fuel, bringing the total to 800 litres.

Further investigations showed that the fuel had been siphoned from an aircraft that was undergoing maintenance at the NASD hangar. The plane, operated by Airworks Aviation, had been grounded for servicing, a situation police believe created an opportunity for the suspects to carry out the theft without immediate detection.

Alongside Kanairo, the driver Timothy Wambugu Maina was arrested, as well as two other suspects identified as Kennedy Njoka Kinuthia and Abdulmalik Musinga. All four were taken into custody at the scene.

The suspects are currently being held as investigations continue, and they are expected to be arraigned in court. Meanwhile, the Mitsubishi Canter used in the operation and the recovered fuels have been seized and will be presented as evidence.

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By Robai Ludenyi