In a real-life tale that reads like a Hollywood heist script, the Murakaru Brothers: Halford Munene Murakaru and Charles Mwangi Murakaru, university graduates from Kenya, managed to pull off an audacious bank robbery that involved digging a tunnel into the vault of a KCB Bank and making away with a staggering Ksh 52 million (approximately $520,000). This remarkable story takes us through their journey from a humble upbringing to their daring escapade.
A Humble Beginning
The two brothers were born in Karura Village in Mathira, Nyeri County. Despite a two-year age gap, Halford was born before Charles. According to their parents, the age difference did not deter them from forming an unbreakable bond. Titus Murakaru and Esther Nyaguthi, their hardworking parents, raised them with values and instilled in them the importance of education.
A Scholarly Duo
The Murakaru Brothers proved to be exceptional students. Halford, the elder sibling, set the academic pace and cultivated a culture of reading at home, a habit Charles quickly adopted. Their academic excellence led them to excel in their exams and secure admission to the prestigious Nyeri High School. This feat was reminiscent of the former Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, who had also attended the same school.
At Nyeri High, the brothers continued to shine, scoring straight As in their exams, which eventually paved the way for them to join Jomo Kenyatta University of Technology. At the university, they both graduated with degrees in Agricultural Engineering, a significant accomplishment in their academic journey.
From Education to Unemployment
After their graduation, the harsh realities of life hit them hard. They found it incredibly challenging to secure employment, a stark contrast to the belief that “Education is the key.” Desperate for financial stability, the brothers turned to fraudulent activities under the guise of car sellers. Although this provided some income, their ambition and high aspirations left them wanting more.
The Daring Plan
Determined to achieve more significant financial success, the Murakaru Brothers decided to carry out a bank robbery. However, their approach was nothing like the traditional bank heists that involve guns and violence. They chose a more intricate, calculated method inspired by high-profile international heists, such as the Brazilian Bank Tunnel Robbery and El Chapo’s tunnel escape.
The brothers settled on a plan that was bloodless, reflective of their high IQ, and promised substantial rewards. To execute their plan, they enlisted the help of two friends, Julius Ndung’u Wanaina, a graduate in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nairobi, and Shem Kirimi, a student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology at the time.
The Greatest Heist in Kenya
Together, they set out to stage one of Kenya’s most daring heists. First, they identified a target bank with a significant security lapse they could exploit. Their choice was KCB Thika, which had a notable blind spot on its rear side with no CCTV cameras. It was the perfect catch for their audacious plan.
In June 2017, they rented three stalls using fake IDs in a building located just 30 meters from the bank. These stalls became the front for their bookshop business, a brilliant cover for their illicit activities. They financed their covert operation by using the proceeds from their fraudulent car-selling venture. With Ksh 168,000 in advance rent for six months, they set out to dig a tunnel.
Operation ‘Tunneldrop’
With the necessary resources, they purchased the tools needed for the underground tunnel, including hoes, a welding gas cylinder, a gas mask, planks of wood for tunnel support, sacks for soil disposal, cartons for concealing the excavated soil, overalls, a spirit level, and a battery with an inverter to illuminate the tunnel during their audacious heist.
During the day, they operated the bookshop, where they displayed books and printers, all part of their cover. At the same time, they took turns digging the underground tunnel and discreetly filling the sacks with soil. The entire operation was carried out meticulously under masks and dim lighting conditions to maintain their cover. They used the soil-filled cartons to transfer the earth without raising suspicion.
The Night of the Heist
The Murakaru Brothers and their team toiled for six months to dig the tunnel, inching ever closer to their target, KCB Bank’s strong room. They rented a one-bedroom house in Juja to store some of their loot. Finally, on the night of Sunday, November 19, 2017, their tunnel reached the bank’s strong room.
Using oxyacetylene welding from their gas tank, they penetrated the bank’s vault and made off with a jaw-dropping Ksh 52 million. Their loot included not only Kenyan Shillings but also foreign currencies: 95 Australian Dollars, 185 Euros, 1630 Pounds, 5781 USD, 271K Tanzanian Shillings, 940K Ugandan Shillings, 40 South African Rand, and 5 Canadian Pounds.
The Brazen Getaway
In a move that set them apart from conventional thieves, the Murakaru Brothers didn’t flee the country immediately. Instead, they returned to their homes in Marurui Estate, Kasarani, awaiting the country’s reaction to their audacious crime. Their belief that they could remain anonymous was soon to be tested.
Shem Kirimi, one of their accomplices, chose a different path. However, what the group did not know was that a snitch lived among them. A neighbor who had been observing their suspicious behavior reported them to the police, a week after the heist. It’s unclear why the thieves remained in the area for that long, but their capture was imminent.
The Arrest and Recovery
The Murakaru Brothers and Julius were arrested in their house in Marurui. During their arrest, police discovered SIM cards and stolen IDs, which led to the revelation of the location where they had stashed the money. The recovery included Ksh 17,135,000, 1311 US dollars, 340 Great Britain Pounds, 5 Canadian Dollars, 85 Australian Dollars, 46,000 Tanzanian Shillings, 40 South African Rand, and 20,000 Ugandan Shillings. However, approximately Ksh 20 million from the heist remained unaccounted for.
The trio was arraigned in court and later released on a Ksh 4 million bond. Shem Kirimi, who had initially managed to evade capture, was arrested a week later in Mtwapa. To this day, Ksh 20 million remains unaccounted for, making this audacious bank robbery one of Kenya’s most remarkable and mysterious criminal escapades. The story of the Murakaru Brothers, who went from scholarly excellence to an audacious heist, stands as a testament to the lengths to which individuals can go in pursuit of their ambitions, for better or for worse.