Detectives arrest a suspect (second left), who was allegedly found in possession of an AK-47 rifle loaded with 23 rounds of ammunition, and a sword at a residence in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County on September 20, 2023.
The Anti-Terrorist Police Unit (ATPU) has launched a crackdown on foreigners said to be masquerading as athletes in North Rift counties.
This move has been informed by increased cases of criminals, who have allegedly infiltrated Elgeyo Marakwet County, where runners flock to training camps.
Police suspect that illegal immigrants are disguising themselves as athletes to engage in crime, particularly in Iten training camps, where drugs and related crimes have been reported to be on the rise.
Elgeyo Marakwet County is home to the Iten High Altitude Training Centre, among other training camps popular for producing some of the world’s top athletes, with many trooping to the region to try their luck in sports.
The high-altitude training grounds have attracted foreigners, who arrive to train before heading to various championships, marathons, and other international competitions.
In 2020, World Athletics designated Iten as one of the World Heritage Cities for Athletics Development for its enormous impact on the historical development of the sport locally and beyond, leading to an influx of more people into the region.
Statistics on cases before the law courts in Eldoret Court and Iten indicate that at least two foreigners are arraigned in court every month on suspicion of being terrorists or being in the country illegally.
A majority of the suspects claim to be either international athletes practicing in Iten, or tourists touring the region, their passports do not support their claims, the anti-terrorist police say.
“The trend of suspects being arrested in Iten disguising as international athletes is worrying. Athletes need to put in place proper structures to ensure that strangers don’t join them in the guise of being athletes,” a senior ATPU officer told Nation.Africa.
The ATPU officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity in Eldoret, said some of the ‘athletes’ in question take photos of prestigious buildings in Eldoret raising suspicions about their mission in the country.
This week, three suspects including a Pakistani and a Chinese were arraigned before the Eldoret Chief Magistrate on suspicion of being terrorist agents.
On Tuesday, Younas Usman, a Pakistan citizen, was detained for four days pending investigation by ATPU to ascertain his mission in the country after he was arrested in Eldoret claiming to be an athlete in the area.
While making an application to detain him pending investigations, Phanuel Kaaria, the Investigating Officer from ATPU, said the suspect was arrested in Eldoret City, while hawking ‘strange mobile phones,’ claiming their manufacturer is yet to be ascertained.
Mr Kaaria told the court that the suspect did not give convincing reasons as to why he was in the country, attracting suspicion of being a terrorist.
He told the court that he wanted more time to investigate how he entered the country and what he was doing in Eldoret.
In September 2023, a New Zealand athlete was arrested in Iten after he was found in possession of an unlicensed firearm. Police discovered the gun during the arrest of the suspect after he was accused of sexual assault.
