Fresh details have emerged after police recovered a firearm belonging to Court of Appeal Judge Justice Aggrey Muchelule from the house of a suspected armed robber who was killed during a shootout with detectives in Joska, Machakos County.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is investigating how the judge’s licensed Beretta pistol disappeared from his residence and allegedly ended up in the possession of the suspect, who is believed to have been involved in the robbery at Chaiiwali Café in Nairobi’s Westlands area on July 4.
The suspect was shot dead on the afternoon of July 13 after exchanging gunfire with detectives during an operation at a residential house in Joska along the Nairobi-Kangundo Road.
Justice Muchelule Learns His Firearm Was Missing
Justice Richard Muchelule discovered his firearm was missing only after police contacted him to say a pistol believed to belong to him had been recovered during an operation in Joska.
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According to investigators, the judge checked his residence after receiving the call and confirmed that the firearm was no longer there. He then reported the loss at Spring Valley Police Station, prompting detectives to open an investigation into how the weapon went missing.
In his statement to police, Justice Muchelule said he does not usually carry the firearm and was unaware it had gone missing.
He told investigators that the last time he physically checked the pistol was in October 2025, when he intended to renew its firearm license. However, he forgot to complete the renewal process and did not inspect the weapon again until police contacted him.
Police said the missing firearm is a Beretta pistol that contained 15 rounds of ammunition when it disappeared.
Investigators are also seeking to establish how the firearm was allegedly removed from the judge’s residence without his knowledge.
Gun Allegedly Used in Chaiiwali Café Robbery
Detectives believe the recovered pistol was used during the armed robbery at Chaiiwali Café along General Mathenge Road on July 4.
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The robbery attracted public attention after CCTV footage showing armed, masked men storming the restaurant and robbing customers circulated online, prompting detectives to launch a manhunt.
The investigation eventually led officers to a house in Joska, where one of the suspects had reportedly taken refuge.
Police said the suspect opened fire as detectives moved in, triggering a gun battle that ended with him being fatally shot.
Officers recovered the Beretta pistol, additional ammunition and several mobile phones from the house. Investigators later established that the firearm was registered to Justice Muchelule.
The DCI is now investigating how the judge’s licensed firearm ended up in the suspect’s possession, whether it may have been used in other criminal activities, and the circumstances under which it disappeared from the judge’s residence.
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