Nakuru: EACC Busts 4 Traffic Police Officers Taking Bribes, 1 Fires His Gun Before Escaping

• EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak confirmed that there was enough evidence to charge the officers, emphasising their capture at a notorious bribe collection point
• In a morning raid, one armed officer escaped after firing into the air when confronted by EACC officers, who managed to arrest the other three
• They were transported to EACC's integrity centre, while Mbarak highlighted the challenges of combating corruption within the police service

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi - Three traffic police officers have been arrested along Mai Mahiu Road near Karagita junction in Naivasha.

During an operation led by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the officers were nabbed at the spot described as a notorious bribe-collection point.

EACC Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak said they had collected enough evidence to charge the three officers.

"This morning the EACC managed to have a raid where we managed to arrest three traffic police officers who were taking bribes along the road from motorists. One policeman managed to escape; he was armed, and he tried to fire at our officers, fortunately, there were no injuries, but he managed to escape," Mbarak said.

In the Thursday, November 30 morning operation, one officer escaped the dragnet after he pulled his firearm on the officers and shot in the air.

"Our position as EACC is that in coordination with the office of the IG is that traffic police officers should never be armed unless it is extremely necessary for their own safety," the EACC boss added.

The three other officers were whisked to EACC's integrity centre in Nairobi for further investigations ahead of arraignment.

Why is it challenging to combat graft in the police service

The retired military man disclosed that eradicating corruption in the police service is a tough ask, as they keep evolving methods of taking bribes.

Mbarak lamented that Kenya's corruption levels were appalling, adding that it is the only country where officers blatantly engage in corruption.

"When you devise a new way of arresting them, they come up with a new way. For instance, we know a lot of traffic police officers get bribes through M-Pesa. They have local M-Pesa agents where they go and collect money.

Some of them take cash like that place is always cash and M-Pesa. Unfortunately, Kenya is one of the few countries in the world where you see police openly taking bribes," Mbarak stated.

IG Japhet Koome confesses he has rejected bribes

In a related report, Inspector General Japheth Koome publicly acknowledged widespread corruption within the National Police Service.

He referred to this issue as "returns" and explained that junior officers would collect money and deliver it to their superiors.

Koome recounted instances where junior officers attempted to offer him proceeds from corrupt activities, which he refused.

The IG emphasised the need for the police service to take a stand against corruption, declaring, "enough is enough".