DIG Masengeli defends arrest of mentally ill man with toy gun at Likoni ferry
By Aloys Michael, April 6, 2026The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Gilbert Masengeli has revealed a new twist in the Likoni Ferry gun incident, clarifying the status of the man arrested by officers.
In a press briefing on Monday, April 6, 2026, Masengeli said the man in question was arrested and was taken to the hospital for mental health checks.
However, the DIG revealed that the results from the doctors revealed that the man was mentally challenged, adding that the gun that the man owned at the time of his arrest was also fake.
“He was indeed arrested and taken to the hospital for a check-up. The hospital revealed that he was mentally challenged. The gun he was with was also found not to be a real gun,” he stated.
Revealing why the man was arrested, even with knowledge that he was mentally unstable, Masengeli stated that the police could not take risks with anyone, whether mentally ill or not.
He said the police remain on high alert to protect the public and also themselves.
“The police remain vigilant to ensure that the security of the public is guaranteed. Even their own security,” he added.
In a video that went viral on Sunday, March 29, 2026, a street man at the Likoni ferry was apprehended by police, with officers surrounding him and conducting a search.
Notably, Coast Regional Police Commander Ali Nuno clarified that the video in question is not recent, stating that the incident occurred in October 2025.
Upon searching the man, the police recovered what seemed to be a real pistol tied with a rope around the waist of the man.
Other than the now-revealed fake gun, the man was also in possession of a sling and other things that were not revealed in the video.
The man, clad in tattered clothing, was immediately taken into custody and later sent for a medical check-up, DIG Masengeli confirmed.
Despite his known status as a street dweller, officers acted cautiously, fearing potential links to criminal activities.
Authorities have long noted that street boys are sometimes used by gangs to store weapons, with past cases in Dandora, Nairobi, revealing over five unregistered firearms recovered from them.
For security reasons, police in Likoni followed strict protocols in handling the person of interest.
This incident comes amid intensified operations along the coast, where law enforcement has arrested over 20 gang persons of interest in less than a month, according to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).