Police Inspector Arrested After Demanding Ksh500K Bribe And Trying To Escape

Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) officers have arrested a police inspector attached to Kisumu Central Police Station for demanding a Ksh500,000 bribe.

In a statement on Tuesday, October 10, EACC revealed that the police boss was found to have demanded the bribe in exchange for withdrawing charges against a transporter arrested in Vihiga county. 

The officer had also sought incentives to release the trader's impounded goods.

"In Kisumu, EACC arrested Inspector of Police Joash Rotich Koriese of Kisumu Central Police Station who had demanded a Ksh0.5 million bribe in order to withdraw charges against a transporter and release detained goods. He attempted to resist arrest by EACC officers," stated EACC.

A police inspector arrested by EACC officers on October 10, 2023. /X.EACC

He was however suppressed, handcuffed and dragged to record a statement.

At the same time, EACC arrested four police officers on allegations of extorting money from motorists along the Thika-Garissa highway in Machakos.

The detained police officers included a deputy base commander, a sergeant, and two police constables, who were accused of soliciting bribes from motorists, which is illegal in the eyes of the law.

"As part of ongoing initiatives to tame traffic corruption, EACC arrested 4 police officers extorting money from motorists on Thika-Garissa Highway. The 4 are Deborah Ngila (Deputy Base Commander), Rosemary Nyokabi Robert Kabiru and Christine Chebon," added EACC.

Motorists plying the route had initially raised complaints regarding the constant extortion by police manning the roadblocks, prompting the EACC officers to launch investigations into the matter.

EACC added that detectives had monitored the suspects for some days before swinging into action, with the anti-corruption agency subsequently recovering about Ksh12,000, allegedly collected within an hour.

EACC further shared a video on their X (formerly Twitter) account depicting the four police officers recorded demanding cash from motorists along the highway.

Following their arrest, the four officers were detained at Kilimani Police Station, Nairobi, before they were arraigned in court to answer charges levelled against them. 

Among the charges they faced was publicly defying direct orders issued by Interior CS Kithure Kindiki, who directed police officers to remove all roadblocks by November 1, 2023.

Both arrests form part of EACC's push to get rid of corruption in the traffic sector, with Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak expressing concern regarding the increase in corruption among police officers.

Consequently, he called upon Police Commanders across the country to take urgent and decisive measures to end scenarios of motorists being extorted by police officers against their will.

"Motorists are expected to comply with all traffic laws and regulations and report any cases of bribe demands to EACC through Toll-Free Line 1551. The operation continues," appealed EACC.