Tanzanian couple arrested in Mombasa for bus passenger robbery syndicate

Police in Mombasa have arrested a Tanzanian couple suspected of operating a criminal syndicate that targets bus passengers by using stupefying drugs to steal their valuables.

The investigation was triggered by an incident on September 18, 2026, involving a passenger on a Dreamline bus traveling from Nairobi to Mombasa. The victim was drugged by a fellow passenger and later regained consciousness in a hospital, only to find his belongings missing.

Detectives from Makupa Police Station tracked forensic leads to Magongo, where they apprehended 52-year-old Pius Paskale Frugenze and his wife, 47-year-old Redempta Revelian Kuleta. A search of their residence uncovered the victim’s laptop and iPhone, along with a large cache of suspected stolen goods, including multiple mobile phones, chargers, wristwatches, wallets, and clothing. Authorities also seized substances believed to be the drugs used in the robberies. The suspects remain in custody pending arraignment.