Whatever his or her name really is – “Hessy wa Kayole”? “Hessy wa Huruma”? “Hessy wa Dandora”? or “Hessy wa Eastlando”? – it’s a social media sensation! What is believed to be an undercover cop, going by the monicker of ‘Hessy’, is posting photographs of notorious Nairobi criminals, issuing chilling warnings to them and then killing them.

The warnings have been posted on Facebook complete with photos of the alleged criminals, where they live, who their relatives are, and details of their crimes.

“Hessy” first appeared on the social media scene when he/she posted a photo of plain clothes policemen killing a young man in Eastleigh.

“YOU ARE NOT SMART”

The warning posts are in Sheng, the language of the alleged criminals with “Hessy’s” favourite tagline being “Utajua Hujui” (“You will know you are not smart”).

It is alleged that having issued the warnings “Hessy” then tracks down the criminals, shoots them dead and then takes pictures which he posts on social media under the caption “Amejua Hajui” (“He now knows he is not smart”).

PRETTY GANSTER KILLING

To date “Hessy’s” best known killing was the shooting of 18 year-old Clare Njoki, referred in the media as “Nairobi’s prettiest gangster” who was killed on May 9th.

After the killing of Clare Njoki “Hessy” posted “Kayole Crime Free” and “Dandora Crime Free”. “Hessy” has since threatened Njoki’s husband Mwanii that he too will be killed unless he gives himself up to the police.

THREE DEAD IN MUROTO SLUMS

There is some speculation that “Hessy” isn’t just a man or a woman but a group of police officers from Nairobi. This view is backed up by the fact that he/she/they post the names and photos of the alleged criminals even when the police are officially unable to do so.

In the most recent “Hessy” posts three suspects were reported to have been shot in the Muoroto slums of Soweto and Kayole, the latest killings bringing to a total of 23 deaths of suspects in the area in under a month.

“HESSY” GETS PUBLIC SUPPORT

The great majority of the 200,000 group members following “Hessy” seem to support the publicising of these actions against the alleged criminals but Human Rights groups have said it is “getting out of hand”. They argue that everyone is innocent until proved guilty and that to bypass the criminal justice system will lead to injustice.