DCI Arrests Suspect Months After US Citizen Was Killed in Garissa

Detectives have arrested a 26-year-old man suspected of killing a United States citizen during a robbery in Garissa County in May.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said officers from its Garissa unit arrested Muhiyadin Abdi Sheikh after months of investigations into the death of Osman Aweys Abdi, a US citizen of Somali heritage. The incident occurred on 28 May near Abubeida School in the Bulla Mzuri area, north of Garissa town. 

Investigators believe Abdi was attacked during a robbery and suffered a stab wound to the thigh as well as other injuries caused by a blunt object. His mobile phone was also taken.

A member of the public who found the injured man reportedly used contacts on his phone to alert his relatives. His brother arrived at the scene and rushed him to Antalya Hospital for treatment, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The body was later taken to Garissa County Teaching and Referral Hospital for further examination. According to the DCI, Sheikh went into hiding after the incident, prompting detectives to pursue leads over several months. The investigation eventually led officers to Kabete in Nairobi, where they arrested him.

The suspect is being held pending his transfer to Garissa, where he is expected to face murder charges. The case comes amid wider security concerns in parts of Garissa, where criminal gangs have been linked to robberies, extortion and violent attacks. Some of the incidents involve crude weapons and have resulted in serious injuries and deaths.

The arrest brings the investigation closer to the prosecution stage as authorities seek to establish the circumstances surrounding Abdi's death and hold those responsible to account. Sheikh will now be subjected to the judicial process, where the prosecution will be required to present evidence linking him to the alleged robbery and killing.