A Kilifi court has sentenced Victor Otieno to 40 years in prison for impersonating a police officer and participating in a series of violent home robberies in Malindi and Kilifi, where victims lost valuables worth approximately KSh 4 million.
The sentence followed his conviction on four counts of robbery with violence and one count of impersonating a police officer, according to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
Principal Magistrate Ivy Wasike delivered the sentence at Kilifi Law Courts after Principal Prosecution Counsel Nancy Njeru presented evidence linking Otieno to the offences.
How Fake Police Officer Used Disguise to Rob Malindi Residents
Court proceedings established that Otieno and an unidentified accomplice carried out the robberies between November 15, 2024, and March 26, 2025.
The two allegedly targeted residential homes by pretending to be police officers conducting official operations.
They would knock on doors and gain entry before overpowering occupants, threatening them with firearms and stealing their belongings.
Some of the attacks happened in broad daylight, with reported incidents occurring at around 10am, noon and 1pm.
The stolen property included mobile phones, laptops, television sets, gold chains, rings, PlayStation consoles and other valuables estimated to be worth KSh 4 million.
One victim told the court that Otieno pointed a gun at her daughter during one of the robberies.
Another witness recounted being shoved around and threatened with death if he failed to cooperate.
Nine Witnesses Helped Secure Conviction
The prosecution called nine witnesses during the trial, several of whom identified Otieno during police identification parades.
The accused denied involvement in the robberies, claiming he had been wrongly implicated.
He also presented an alibi, saying he was in Migori attending his grandmother’s burial when some of the offences occurred.
However, the magistrate rejected his explanation, observing that he had failed to provide supporting evidence, including a witness, bus ticket or other documentation.
His explanation concerning a shooting incident at Kilifi Bridge on March 26, 2025, was also dismissed.
Otieno had claimed he was accidentally shot in the leg while dropping off a passenger.
The court heard that police officers had organised an ambush following a robbery report in Malindi, leading to his arrest.
Why Kilifi Court Handed Fake Cop 40 Years in Prison
During sentencing, Magistrate Wasike described the robberies as particularly brutal, noting that the attacks had left victims traumatised.
Some victims were reportedly reluctant to return to court to testify because of their experiences.
The court also observed that the police operation leading to Otieno’s arrest resulted in a gunfight along a busy public highway, exposing officers and members of the public to danger.
Otieno received 30 years’ imprisonment on each of the four robbery with violence counts. The sentences will run concurrently.
He was also handed an additional 10 years for impersonating a police officer, to run consecutively.
This brought his total sentence to 40 years in prison.
Court Orders Psychosocial Support for Robbery Victims
Beyond the prison sentence, the court directed probation and aftercare officers to facilitate psychosocial support for the victims and their families.
Otieno was granted 14 days to appeal against the decision.
The case is not his first conviction involving violent robberies.
He is separately serving a 30-year prison sentence imposed by Malindi Law Courts in a similar robbery with violence case following a plea bargain with prosecutors.
What Happened to the Suspect’s Accomplice?
The unidentified accomplice was later traced to Mariakani, where police recovered two firearms.
According to the prosecution account, he was subsequently shot dead after attempting to escape from Likoni Police Station.
His death brought a separate chapter to the investigation, while Otieno now faces a 40-year sentence for his role in the robberies.
