Uhuru who has been receiving regular updates from the DCI is reported to have put pressure on the Director of Criminal Investigations to make sure the suspects were in custody.

In a report by the Star, President Uhuru on Sunday called DCI Kinoti and said that he would not sleep before all the suspects were arrested.

The order is said to have caught police bosses by surprise despite their plan to have the suspects arrested on Monday, following a meeting between DCI Kinoti and the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji on Friday to analyze evidence and draw up charges for prosecution.

Kinoti then called for an urgent meeting with the Nairobi DCI Chief Ireri Kamwende, Head of the Special Crimes Prevention Unit Pius Gitari, Flying Squad Deputy Commander John Njoroge and Head of Investigations John Kariuki at his office where he directed that all the 42 suspects be arrested and locked up.

The DCI and police started a crackdown on the suspects after the meeting, in an operation that concluded at 3am after all suspects had been detained.