Ten policemen arrested over weekend crime spree

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At least 10 police officers drawn from various units have been arrested over theft of government property, bribery and robbery with violence.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

Cases of police officers engaging in crime continue to rise with at least 10 officers from various units getting arrested this weekend over theft of government property, bribery and robbery with violence.

In Nairobi, an officer attached to the Critical Infrastructure Command Centre in Nairobi was arrested alongside four others on Saturday morning for allegedly stealing 11 seamless pipes valued at Sh275,000.

The items belonging to Cale Construction Company had been loaded into a pick up belonging to a Mr Ephantus Mwangi at one of the Nairobi expressway construction sites.

Officers on patrol immediately suspected that the items had been stolen and blocked the pick up, as the driver attempted to escape

They arrested the officer namely Thomas Odira Musasa, the truck’s driver, the site’s guard Andrew Kores Nkitiya. Others arrested included Samuel Kariuki and Samuel Mutembei. The group was booked at the Embakasi police station.

The pipes were collected as exhibits, pending the suspects appearance in courts tomorrow.

On Saturday, a Corporal and three police constables attached to Buruburu police station were arrested for allegedly harassing and demanding bribes from wines and spirits traders in Buruburu shopping centre.

The four; Raymond Kurui, Dennis Mutisya Wambya, Wambua Nguku and Ben Wafula Wesakanta were placed in custody at Buruburu police station and their radio gadgets and handcuffs confiscated.

The matter is still under investigation.

In Busia County, a police constable attached to Butula Police Station is being investigated for allegedly throwing the station’s Occurrence book into a pit latrine within the station.

Constable Dennis Kinoti is believed to have committed the act to destroy the evidence after he was accused of slapping his female colleague  on Thursday last week.

The OB has since been retrieved and held as an exhibit. The case is still under investigation.

In Kiambu, police are investigating an incident in which fake Ruiru Prison Staff Training College’s calling letters were issued to Nancy Nyawira Kiruchi, Moses Gitau Mburu,John Kebaso Ongaga and Mercy Wambui Kaime to have their relatives attend training.

A police report filed at Ruiru police station notes that the four were issued the letter by one Benson Nganga who allegedly works at Prisons Headquarters.

The victims said they had been duped to give Sh1.4 million to facilitate their relatives’ admission into the college during last week’s recruitment exercise.

The suspect will be arraigned in court under a miscellaneous application tomorrow.

Last Thursday, four DCI detectives attached to Lang’ata police station were arrested by detectives from the Serious Crimes Unit for committing robbery with violence.

According to DCI George Kinoti, the four reportedly abducted a man at NextGen Mall, along Mombasa road in Nairobi, on February 6 and forcefully demanded money from him.

The man was waiting for a taxi along Mombasa road when the officers bundled him into a waiting vehicle.

While inside the car, Corporal Tom Otieno forcefully transferred Sh40,000 from the victim’s Mpesa account, before further stealing another Sh248,000 from his house and dumping him along Mombasa road, after the two-hour ordeal.

The suspects have since been positively identified by the victim pending their arraignment in court.