The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has revealed that it summoned Kasarani Member of Parliament Ronald Karauri and other individuals captured in a viral video allegedly showing motorists being robbed along the Nairobi Expressway.
According to DCI's statement released on Friday, September 4, via its official X account, detectives from DCI Kilimani summoned the individuals, including Karauri, who was identified as the alleged victim in the footage, and recorded their statements as part of investigations into the incident.
The move comes after the video circulated widely on social media, accompanied by claims that robbers along the Nairobi Expressway had targeted motorists. However, preliminary findings by detectives indicate that the incident was not a robbery, contradicting the claims accompanying the viral footage.
The agency disclosed that all the persons depicted in the video had been identified and questioned as detectives worked to establish what transpired.
Karauri, who represents Kasarani Constituency, was specifically identified by the DCI as the person portrayed in the video as the alleged robbery victim.
"The persons depicted in the clip, including the alleged victim, have been identified, summoned, and their statements recorded. Preliminary investigations, based on the recorded statements, indicate that the incident was not a robbery. The alleged victim has been identified as Hon. Ronald Karauri, Member of Parliament for Kasarani," stated the DCI in part.
Detectives are now conducting further inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident and the video's subsequent circulation.
The DCI stated that investigations would also seek to establish the full facts surrounding the event and document all relevant information before the inquiry is concluded.
The clarification comes amid heightened public attention to security incidents allegedly occurring on major roads in Nairobi, with social media often becoming the first platform through which such claims emerge.
The agency cautioned members of the public against circulating unverified claims, particularly where videos are shared without sufficient context. “Members of the public are advised not to circulate unverified claims,” the DCI stated, while urging Kenyans with information that could assist investigators to report it to the nearest police station.
The DCI has not disclosed further details of what investigators established from the statements recorded from Karauri and the other individuals, as inquiries remain ongoing.
The image showing several people gathered between vehicles on the highway sparked public concern and intense political debate online. Social media users alleged that a gang of thugs was “targeting motorists in broad daylight,” prompting fears over security on the busy Nairobi route.
Moja Expressway Company, the private entity that operates the toll road, however, clarified that the scene did not involve a robbery. The company explained that the vehicles belonged to the political delegation whose members had briefly stopped to switch vehicles before continuing their journey.
Police also launched inquiries after the footage went viral. Central Police Station OCPD Patrick Gogo reportedly directed officers to check several stations for robbery complaints, while Nairobi Regional DCI boss Daniel Kandie led a separate probe.
The searches reportedly found no robbery complaint linked to the incident. Investigators later traced a motorist whose vehicle appeared in the footage. The driver confirmed passing the scene and noticing a minor disturbance but did not report witnessing a robbery.
