A man was reportedly abducted and robbed of KES 600,000 by police officers who later threw him out of a moving car in Utawala, Embakasi. Naftali Kamau, the victim, had withdrawn the cash from an Equity Bank branch in Utawala and was headed to his lawyer’s office in Donholm when he noticed a white Toyota Axio following him. At Baraka estate, the vehicle overtook Kamau and blocked his way. Two armed traffic police officers, one male and one female, allegedly got out of the car, entered Kamau’s vehicle, and took the money.
The officers later dropped Kamau off at Benedictor junction after robbing him of two iPhones. He suffered scratches on his neck during the incident. Kamau reported the matter to the police, who have launched an investigation and circulated the number plate of the suspects’ vehicle.
This incident follows another reported case of police officers robbing a man in Nairobi. Two weeks ago, Stanley Kiarie reported that three individuals in police uniform arrested him on Nairobi’s River Road and accused him of illegal possession of bhang. After forcing Kiarie to withdraw KES 6,000 from an M-Pesa agent, they released him and handed him KES 500 as his fare home.
These incidents raise concerns about police brutality and corruption in Kenya. The police have a duty to uphold the law and protect citizens, but cases of police officers engaging in criminal activities undermine the trust and confidence that the public has in the police. The authorities must investigate these incidents thoroughly and bring the perpetrators to justice. The government must also take steps to reform the police force and improve its accountability to the public. It is only by holding police officers accountable for their actions that the police force can regain the trust and respect of the Kenyan people.