15 police officers in Kwale under probe over bribery claims

Police in Kwale County are investigating at least 15 officers attached to the Kwale station and who were found in possession of Sh11,055 suspected to be bribes from motorists.

The officers were manning a road block on the Likoni-Lunga Lunga highway road block at Magandia on Monday night as the crackdown on unworthy vehicles intensified.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION

County Administration Police (AP) Commander David Koskei said disciplinary action will be taken against the officers for receiving bribes.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday at his office accompanied by senior officers, Mr Koskei said they had deployed 15 police officers on Monday night at the road block.

But, upon being asked by the OCS to report any cases of traffic offences that might have occurred that night, the officers said that there were no cases.

He added that, during the morning debriefing on Tuesday, the officers were told to surrender everything they had to the OCS.

"We managed to recover Sh11,055 from the officers who were on duty that night after failing to report any arrests from the busy road," he said.

EXTORT MOTORISTS

Mr Koskei warned his officers against using the traffic crackdown to extort motorists.

"We will take stern action against officers who will be compromised. They will serve as an example to others. I caution all road users to desist from encouraging officers to receive bribes,” he said, adding that the crackdown should not be used as an avenue to harass or solicit bribes from motorists.

He said the 15 will be charged in court once investigations are concluded.