5 Traffic Police Officers Busted Collecting Bribes From Motorists
EACC said its detectives conducted the sting operation after receiving multiple complaints of rampant bribery and harassment of drivers in the area.
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
Five police officers were arrested on Thursday, November 6 by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for allegedly extorting motorists along the Busia–Kisumu Road near Busia Town.
In a statement, the EACC said its detectives conducted the sting operation after receiving multiple complaints of rampant bribery and harassment of drivers in the area.
The officers were reportedly caught in the act, demanding and collecting cash from motorists — a vice said to be widespread along that route.
Traffic police attached to Kisumu Central Police Station stops an oncoming vehicle during a crackdown along Nairobi Road on January 28, 2020. /STANDARD DIGITAL
They were later taken to the EACC Western Regional Office in Bungoma for questioning and further action.
This operation comes just months after a similar crackdown in August, when four traffic officers were arrested over bribery claims along the Nairobi–Nyeri–Embu Highway.
Those officers, drawn from the Makutano and Juja Traffic Bases in Embu County, were accused of extorting money from matatu operators, truck drivers, and other motorists.
Motorists have repeatedly raised concerns over the growing number of illegal “toll points” allegedly set up by rogue officers, where drivers are forced to pay between Ksh50 and Ksh200 — sometimes more — for minor traffic violations.
A recent survey by EACC identified police officers, as well as personnel from the National Registration Bureau, and healthcare workers in public hospitals, as the most frequently mentioned when it came to bribery.
A significant number of Kenyans admitted to giving bribes either to speed up services or because it was the only way to get assistance. Some were directly asked to pay, while others did so to avoid lengthy delays.
However, even after paying, the majority reported disappointment with the outcome—72.5% of those who gave bribes said they were unhappy with the service they received.
