Gun Dealer Rearrested After Dramatic Escape from Police Custody in Karen

A gun dealer who escaped from from Karen police station, Nairobi as police booked him following the discovery of a cache of arms and bullets in his house was finally rearrested. 

Shailesh Mistry is the Chief Executive Officer at Cateyes Customs Limited, which deals in firearms.

He was rearrested in Kasarani area, Nairobi on Friday August 2 as he sought a place to hide from police.

Police had been looking for him following his dramatic escape that left one officer injured on Thursday August 1 evening.

Police said a man haunt was launched and following intelligence leads, the escapee was intercepted while driving his vehicle within Kasarani area where he was re arrested.

According to police, when police arrested him on Thursday August 1 afternoon, they said they found him with an expired firearm license.

He dramatically escaped in his car from Karen police station as a team of police booked him into custody.

Police said he knocked down the gate at the station as he escaped from the lawful custody.

According to police, Mistry was arrested at Tamasha Bar and Restaurant in Karen by a team of police and escorted to Karen Police Station.

A search was conducted in his Mark X car and an assortment of pistols and bullets recovered.

The weapons included a Sig Sauer pistol and two Canik pistols.

The police also found six empty magazines and 775 assorted bullets.

They included 104 bullets used for short guns.

Later the suspect was escorted to his residence at Southlands Estate Jordan Court and upon search a short gun with 210 bullets were recovered from the house.

Police said the suspect produced a civilian firearm certificate that shows it expired on February 21, 2023.

It was then a decision was made to take him to custody.

As he was being escorted to the cells, he requested to pick a heavy sweater from his car, which was parked a few meters to the report office.

He claimed he was unwell and needed the sweater.

Police said after he got into the car, he locked himself there as the officers who were escorting him started to shout ordering him to get out.

The station guard rushed to the gate and closed it as he shouted for help to stop the suspect fearing he could cause more harm.

Police said the suspect drove at high speed from the parking lot, hit the gate, and opened it wide open.

He sped off to an unknown destination injuring a constable of police who was at the gate.

No bullets were fired as the drama unfolded.

Details of the car were circulated after the 4 pm drama leading to the arrest.

Police said they had been alerted the man’s permit was expired and had been flaunting his guns around.

In 2019, his consignment of sophisticated Belgian automatic assault rifles imported into the country was detained at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for non-compliance.

The consignment of 1,00 FN Scar rifles imported by the dealer were detained on arrival from Belgium following revelations that his license was among the 21-gun dealership and shooting range licenses that had been suspended by the Firearms licensing Board (FLB).

The weapons were meant for a client who later took them.

The FN Scar (Special Operation Forces Combat Assault Rifle) is a 2009 manufactured semi-automatic rifle described as very effective and lethal in combat. Designed in Belgium and manufactured in California, US, it costs about Sh310,000. Other units using the rifle include the US Navy SEALs and US Marines.