By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
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Kenya, May 04, 2026 - What appeared to be a routine vehicle moving through Wilson Airport turned into a major security bust after detectives uncovered hundreds of litres of suspected stolen jet fuel hidden inside.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said officers from the Kenya Airport Police Unit (KAPU) intercepted a white Mitsubishi Canter truck within the airport precincts after it raised suspicion during routine surveillance.
Inside the vehicle, detectives found four drums, each carrying 200 litres of jet fuel allegedly siphoned from an aircraft undergoing maintenance at the airport.
“A covert attempt to siphon jet fuel and sneak it out under the cover of routine airport activity has been thwarted after sharp-eyed detectives from the Kenya Airport Police Unit intercepted a suspicious vehicle at Wilson Airport,” the DCI said.
According to investigators, the fuel is believed to have been drained from an aircraft operated by Airworks Aviation at the NASD hangar, where it was undergoing maintenance.
The DCI said the suspects appeared to be taking advantage of normal airport operations to move the fuel out unnoticed.
“While it tried to blend into the shadows of routine airport activity, the vehicle was carrying a heavy secret: four drums, each brimming with 200 litres of jet fuel,” the agency added.
Detectives arrested four suspects linked to the incident, including the alleged owner of the fuel consignment, Gladys Ndumba Kanairo, driver Timothy Wambugu Maina, and two other suspects identified as Kennedy Njoka Kinuthia and Abdulmalik Musinga.
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Investigators revealed that Kanairo did not have a gate pass allowing access to the restricted airport area.
The truck used to transport the fuel was also reportedly operating without authorisation from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), which is required for the transportation of petroleum products.
“The alleged owner of the consignment was found to have no gate pass. At the same time, the vehicle itself lacked the mandatory authorisation from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority to transport petroleum products,” the DCI stated.
The suspects are currently in custody as detectives continue investigations ahead of their arraignment in court.
Meanwhile, the impounded vehicle and the recovered fuel are being held as exhibits as investigators seek to establish how the suspects gained access to the aircraft and operated within the airport without proper clearance.