APs claim regular police not helping solve crime

Administration Police (AP) officers have accused their counterparts in the regular police of protecting colleagues involved in crime.

This emerges as the stand-off between the two police units intensified following the killing of an AP suspected to be a criminal.

Kisumu AP Commandant Gradus Atinda said the police were not co-operating in ensuring that a particular officer faces the law after he was accused of robbing another officer.

The senior AP officer based in Maralal was on leave when he was robbed of Sh250,000 last week, moments after withdrawing the money from the bank.

The officer explained that on his way to the bus station, a saloon car zoomed past him along Oginga Odinga Street and four occupants who identified themselves as police officers approached him.

The four got him into the car and drove towards Kisumu International Airport, where he was robbed of the money before being dumped by the road.

"He identified one of the people who robbed him but our fellow officers are protecting the suspect, who should face the full force of the law," said Mr Atinda.

He said the suspect was part of the team of officers who received him as he was recording a statement.

Regional Police Co-ordinator Charles Narangwi has however denied the allegations and defended the officer, claiming he could not be arrested as it was an allegation that had yet to be investigated.

The regular police version is that the AP officer, Wycliffe Ndiga, who was shot dead over the weekend was part of a gang that had just stolen Sh400,000 from Tuffoam Mattresses.