"Weapon identified": Judge's gun found with slain Westlands robbery suspect

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

- A Beretta pistol recovered after a fatal police shootout in Joska was traced to Court of Appeal Judge Justice Aggrey Muchelule

- The judge told police on July 14 that he had not physically checked the firearm since October 2025

- Detectives confirmed the gun was used in the July 4 armed robbery at Chaiiwali restaurant in Westlands

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A Beretta pistol recovered after a fatal police shootout in Joska, Machakos county, has been confirmed as the property of Court of Appeal Judge, Justice Aggrey Muchelule, investigators have revealed.

The judge only learned his firearm, bearing serial number H20930Y, was missing after detectives contacted him on Tuesday, July 14, to inform him it had been seized during a joint operation in Athi River South Sub-County the previous evening.

What did Justice Aggrey Muchelule tell investigators?

While recording his statement at Spring Valley Police Station, Muchelule told investigators that he does not regularly use or carry the firearm.

According to the police report, he recalled last inspecting the weapon in October 2025 when he planned to renew his firearm licence.

However, the Court of Appeal judge said failed to complete the renewal process after forgetting to follow through.

"He further stated that the last time he physically checked it was in October 2025, when he intended to renew his firearm licence. However, he later forgot to complete the renewal process," the police report states as reported by Citizen Digital.

Investigators say the gun had been used by criminals to carry out a robbery at Chaiiwali restaurant along General Mathenge Road in Spring Valley, Westlands, on July 4.

During that incident, masked gunmen stormed the eatery, terrified patrons, and made off with electronic devices.

Surveillance footage of the raid circulated widely and triggered a high-priority forensic investigation to track the stolen items and map the gang's movements.

The breakthrough came when officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) tracked a key suspect, Vincent Ochieng, to a residential hideout in Joska.

Police identified Ochieng as a suspected member of a violent criminal gang believed to be operating in Nairobi, Kiambu and Machakos counties.

According to investigators, Ochieng locked himself inside the house when officers arrived to arrest him and allegedly fired at the security team.

The officers returned fire, leading to a shootout during which the robbery suspect was fatally wounded.

How did police recover Justice Muchelule's missing firearm?

When detectives searched the premises, they found the loaded Beretta, additional ammunition, and multiple mobile phones.

The DCI Criminal Research and Intelligence Bureau subsequently confirmed the pistol belonged to Justice Muchelule.

"Yes, this weapon was identified as the one used in the July 4, 2026, robbery of the Chaiiwali Café in Westlands," a detective confirmed.

The firearm is currently undergoing specialised ballistic testing to establish whether it is linked to other unsolved crimes.

Investigations are also continuing to determine precisely how and when the gun was removed from the judge's secured Kitusuru home without his knowledge.

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Police say a manhunt is underway for Ochieng's accomplices, and that officers are working to dismantle armed gangs across Nairobi, Kilifi, Nyanza, Western and other parts of the country.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.