EACC detectives arrest Kisumu OCS over bribery claims

Officers said the five Tanzanians and two Ugandans were being trafficked to Oman by Geoffrey Mutemi Manzi. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Senior sergeant Kennedy Saina was arrested at his Kombewa offices on Tuesday evening.

, Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission in Kisumu have arrested a senior police officer following bribery allegations.

The EACC officers seized the Officer Commanding Station for Kombewa Police Station in Kisumu County for allegedly demanding bribe to set free a suspect in defilement case.

Senior sergeant Kennedy Saina was arrested at his Kombewa offices on Tuesday evening after a brother of a defilement suspect, complained of interference with the investigations into the sex crime.

Mr Ben Murei, EACC Western Region boss, said the officer had demanded Sh20,000 to set the suspect free.

“A report was made and my officers set a trap and arrested the officer using treated money worth Sh10,000,” said Mr Murei.

He said the officer will be charged with soliciting a bribe contrary to the Bribery Act.

The suspect was booked at Kisumu Central Police Station where he was held before being released on a police cash bail.

He will appear in court on September 7.

Recently, lobby groups from Kisumu led by Ms Maureen Kemunto of Transform Empowerment for Action Initiative pointed out that there were challenges in dealing with defilement and rape cases.

While launching a report on rape and other criminal offences, she said that identification of culprits, lack of confidentiality in handling cases and loss of files as barriers in getting justice for defilement and rape victims.

Poor response to distress calls by police were among the issues pointed out to be negatively impacting on the fight against rape and defilement.

According to the latest reports from Nyanza Gender Based Violence recovery centre show that for the past one month indicate that about five new cases of defilement are reported daily.