4 Cops Busted Collecting Ksh15,000 Bribes In 2 Hours

Four traffic police officers were on Wednesday, June 14 arrested by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officers who accused them of extorting motorists using the busy Outering Road in Nairobi.

EACC in a statement revealed that the traffic cops collected Ksh15,820 when the anti-corruption officers caught up with them at the Kware stage near the Pipeline estate when they were receiving bribes from motorists.

“At the time of the arrest, the four traffic officers had collected a total of Ksh 15,820 in less than 2 hours. The money was largely in the denominations of 50, 100 and 200 notes,” the EACC's statement read in part.

The traffic police officers arrested for taking bribes were from Embakasi and Buruburu Police Stations. The four were; Burton Mathenge, Sarah Karimi and Charo Katana of Buruburu Police Station and Abraham Kiptoo of the Embakasi Police Station.

EACC noted that the four officers had created a traffic snarl-up on the busy road as they stopped motorists to take bribes.

“EACC undertook this operation following numerous complaints from motorists and members of the public who alleged that of late, they have consistently witnessed traffic police officers openly collecting bribes from private and public service vehicles,” the statement added.

The commission added that some drivers came up with creative ways of enhancing the vice such as placing notes at certain parts of the vehicle, such as the driver's door handle, while others dropped notes for collection by the officers from the ground.

Others put the money in their driving licences which enabled the traffic officers to collect at ease.

The suspects were taken to EACC headquarters at the Integrity Centre in Upper Hill, Nairobi to record statements before being released.

The anti-corruption agency will arraign the four traffic officers in court once the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) prefers charges against them.

“They were later released on police bail of Ksh10,000 each pending the finalisation of the remaining aspects of the investigation including securing concurrence of the Director of Public Prosecutions on the recommendation to arraign them before the Anti-Corruption Court,” the commission explained.

The commission warned that the officers risk being suspended if the DPP approved their prosecution as per the law.

The arrests formed part of the commission's move to bolster the war on corruption in the country, which is part of President William Ruto's agenda.

The President on Tuesday, May 2 formally appointed Bishop David Oginde as the Chairperson of the EACC.