A Court of Appeal judge’s licensed pistol has ended up with a suspected armed robber who was shot dead by police. The discovery has left many Kenyans shocked and angry.
How does a high court judge lose track of his firearm, only to find it used in serious crime?
Police killed suspect Vincent Ochieng during a gun battle in Joska along the Nairobi-Kangundo road on Monday.
Officers recovered a Beretta pistol and ammunition from his hideout. Ballistics checks quickly showed the gun belonged to Justice Aggrey Muchelule.
The judge only reported it missing after detectives called him about the recovery.
Muchelule told police he had no idea the weapon was gone. He said it disappeared from a secure locker at his home in Kitisuru.
He last saw or handled it around October 2025. The judge claimed he rarely carried the pistol, which was issued to him in 2018, so he did not notice its absence.
He rushed to check his safe only after police contacted him on Tuesday.
This is not just a simple theft. The same pistol is now linked to a violent robbery at Chaiiwali Café in Westlands on July 4.
Robbers stormed the popular spot, stole phones and a laptop, and terrified customers.
Detectives say the gun may connect to other crimes across Nairobi, Kiambu, and Kilifi counties.
A judge’s weapon was out there helping criminals spread fear.
Tough questions are being asked. How can a senior judge’s home be so easily breached?
Security around such homes is usually tight with guards and alarms. Yet someone walked away with a loaded pistol without raising any alarm.
Was it an inside job? Did a family member or worker help?
Or was the judge simply careless with a deadly tool that he swore to keep safe?
Gun laws in Kenya are strict for good reason. Licensed owners must secure their firearms properly and report losses immediately.
Failing to do so can lead to serious consequences. Many ordinary citizens wonder why Muchelule faces no quick action.
If this happened to a regular person, police would likely arrest them fast for negligence.
The case raises bigger worries about trust in the judiciary. Judges decide the fate of others every day.
They send people to prison for smaller mistakes. Now one of their own stands at the center of a scandal where his gun fueled crime.
Public confidence takes another hit.
Police from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations are probing how the Beretta moved from a judge’s cabinet to a robber’s hands.
They want to know the full chain – who stole it, who used it, and who else was involved.
Vincent Ochieng is dead, but his partners are still on the run.
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