The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Thursday revealed that the trio attacked the woman while she was walking home, stealing her mobile phone and other valuables before leaving her lying on the roadside screaming for help.
The three then walked away casually towards Mlango Kubwa area as witnesses who had seen the attack raised an alarm prompting nearby police officers on patrol to respond to their distress calls.
“The swift reaction by the sleuths was therefore an unpleasant surprise to the Mathare three, as they came face to face with two lanky officers of towering height, recently enlisted in the service,” wrote DCI on Twitter.
Amid a chase that ensued shortly after, the gang leader turned back and attempted attack an officer, “missing his jugular vein by a whisker.”
The officer immediately opened fire fatally wounding the suspect as his two accomplices dropped their weapons and took flight inside a nearby church prompting the cops to end the chase.
Police recovered 3 Machetes, daggers, two swords and other crude weapons used by the thugs together with Ksh.12,300 ($100) from the shot thug.
Meanwhile, his body has been taken to the City mortuary pending identification and postmortem.