Traffic police vetting exposes cash network
Senior Sergeant Leonard Masika from Mombasa County during his vetting before the National Police Service Commission on May 25, 2016. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Most of those found with huge M-Pesa transactions explained that they were members of merry-go-rounds with the senior officers they were sending money to.
The officers were also warned against attempts to interfere with M-Pesa statements.
It also emerged that a big number of the policemen had matatu and other transport businesses, a conflict of interest in their work.
A network in which senior traffic police officers demand huge amounts of money from their juniors was laid bare before a vetting panel in Mombasa.
The revelations came as the panel, led by National Police Service Commission chairman Johnston Kavuludi, warned the traffic officers against lying.
Most of those found with huge M-Pesa transactions explained that they were members of merry-go-rounds with the senior officers they were sending money to.
The officers were also warned against attempts to interfere with M-Pesa statements.
During the hearings which started on Tuesday, to vet 238 traffic officers in the Coast, it also emerged that a big number of the policemen had matatu and other transport businesses, a conflict of interest in their work.
Sergeant Jairus Okere, a former traffic officer in Kilifi County and now in Webuye, and Sergeant Bernard Kazungu, who works with the Voi Highway Patrol Unit, were hard put to explain the huge amounts of money sent to their immediate bosses.
“I cannot categorically say why we were requested to remit some particular amounts to the seniors. But once you are told that the senior wanted this amount of money, you just follow the order and send the money,’’ said.
Asked by Mr Kavuludi where he got the money he said sometimes he would be forced to use his own funds to meet his boss’s request.
Commissioner Mary Owour further asked him: “Is that not the same money that you collect from the public? How possible is it for the officers to get that amount of money?””
“It is emerging this is a mere cover-up by officers for the numerous M-Pesa transactions. Records indicate junior officers send too much money to their seniors which we believe is for protection or favours of some kind,” said commissioner Mohamed Murshid.
