Police vetting turns into review of officer’s book on stressful living conditions

Shocking revelations during police vetting in Nakuru

What you need to know:

  • The book titled ‘The Paradox of love’, by Corporal Ntabo turned the vetting of the junior traffic officers into a book review session.
  • The only M-Pesa transactions the officer had involved an accident where he received money from well-wishers to pay for his medical expenses.
  • The officer told the vetting panel that he was in the process of writing another book.
  • At least 16 traffic officers were vetted on Friday with the main focus being on their M-Pesa transactions.

Broken marriages and poor living conditions inspired a police officer to write book to highlight the stressful lives that the officers undergo.

The book titled ‘The Paradox of love’, by Corporal Dennis Ouko Ntabo turned the Johnson Kavuludi-led National Police Service Commission (NPSC) vetting junior traffic officers in Rift Valley region at Hotel Kunste in Nakuru into a book review session as each of the commissioners wanted to ask the author a question or two about the book.

“I want to appreciate this officer as he has gone beyond his call of duty and has made tremendous contribution by documenting the conditions under which his colleagues live in,” said Mr Kavuludi.

Added Mr Kavuludi: “This is clear testimony that even within the police service, the officers’ tight schedule notwithstanding, one can get time to render services by writing such an inspiring book.”

Interestingly, unlike his colleagues who were hard-pressed to explain their M-Pesa transactions involving millions of shillings, Corporal Ouko, who has been in the service for 11 years, had no such strange transactions.

NO M-PESA TRANSACTIONS

The only M-Pesa transactions that caught the attention of the vetting panel involved an accident where he received money from well-wishers to pay for his medical expenses.

This prompted Mr Kavuludi to pose: “No wonder this officer has no crazy M-Pesa transactions because he is too busy writing books and has no time soliciting for money.”

Mr Kavuludi bought one of the books tabled by the officer as a sample at Sh500.

Narrating his experience in marriage while in the police service, Corporal Ouko said that three days before his wedding, he found his girlfriend in a compromising situation in a lodging.

“I almost committed suicide as I felt rejected and I saw no meaning of life as I had just come from training and I was eager to [start a family],” said Corporal Ouko.

He said he had witnessed many police officers who shared houses turn to their colleagues’ wives while they were away on night duties.

“I will never forget this one embarrassing moment when one of the officers returned from night shift and caught his wife in the act with a fellow police officer. The memory still haunts me,” he said.

PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE

The officer said that many of his colleagues were undergoing psychological torture and this is normally transferred to their families when they go back home.

“It is high time we have counsellors in the police service because even those officers who misuse their arms and kill their colleagues are doing that because of lack of such a crucial service,” he said.

The officer told the vetting panel that he was in the process of writing another book.

He said he is happily married to Catherine Muthoni and they have two daughters: Stacy and Ivy.

At least 16 traffic officers were vetted on Friday with the main focus being on their M-Pesa transactions.