Police reservist, teacher arrested over motor vehicle theft

Police in Trans Nzoia arrested a police reservist and school teacher over theft of a vehicle in Mumias

Police in Trans Nzoia arrested a police reservist and school teacher over theft of a vehicle in Mumias constituency, Kakamega County.

Photo credit: Gerald Bwisa | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • The vehicle KCY 959Vhad been branded with a different number plate, registration number KCV 127H
  • Two suspects – Leonard Simiyu Wanyonyi, 40, National Police Reservist No. 03832, and Julius Okemwa, a teacher at Konyau Primary School in West Pokot County – were arrested on Wednesday at their hideout

Police in Trans Nzoia have arrested a police reservist and a primary school teacher over the theft of a vehicle in Mumias constituency, Kakamega County.

The two suspects – Leonard Simiyu Wanyonyi, 40, National Police Reservist No. 03832, and Julius Okemwa, a teacher at Konyau Primary School in West Pokot County – were arrested on Wednesday at their hideout.

The vehicle – a white Toyota Probox registration number KCY 959V – was reported stolen on October 29 at the Mumias Police Station through OB No. 15/29/10/2022.

The vehicle was recovered in Makutano, West Pokot, said Francis Kihara, a Trans Nzoia County criminal investigations officer.

Mumias Directorate of Criminal Investigation officers teamed up with officers from the Kwanza Police Station and followed a lead from Mutua in Kwanza to West Pokot, Mr Kihara said.

"The vehicle … had been branded [with] a different number plate, registration number KCV 127H … We suspect by doing so they were planning to use the vehicle to commit a crime," he said.

The suspects were taken to the Mumias Police Station for more questioning.

"The DCI in Mumias are now handling the matter because the offence was committed there," Mr Kihara said.

Elsewhere, a 19-year-old man in Famia village, Chepchoina, Endebess constituency, was arrested on Thursday morning after being found with 10kg of substances suspected to be cannabis with a street value of Sh50,000.

Cultivated bhang plants and three litres of chang'aa were seized.

"The police in Endebess acted on a tip-off from members of the public that the suspect, Brian Nyukuri, was cultivating and selling bhang," Mr Kihara told Nation.Africa.

The suspect is being held at the Endebess Police Station before he is charged.