Kenya: There was drama at Bahati Police Station in Nakuru County when Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officials stormed the facility to free a woman allegedly held for two days without charges.
Led by EACC South Rift regional Deputy Director Japhet Baithalu, the officers who said they acted on a tip-off from relatives of the detained woman headed straight to the police cells and filmed the woman before freeing her as officers watched yesterday.
“This is unacceptable. Confining somebody in police cells for more than 24 hours without preferring charges is wrong. She should have been arraigned in a court of law if indeed she had done wrong,” said Baithalu.
Dorcas Mugure, 37, said police arrested her on Wednesday morning at her home in Mwisho Wa Lami in Bahati moments after she sold three cattle claiming she had stolen them.
“They told me I was selling the cattle at a throw-away price and they should investigate me since I had “stolen” the animals,” she explained. Mugure said she sold the three cows at Sh45,000, Sh40,000 and Sh10,000 respectively but the officers alleged the cattle were worth more.
READ MORE
Officer who locked couple's house for a week ordered to pay Sh700,000
Behind-the-scenes rush as clock ticks for sale of Bamburi Cement
When Ruto and the Church began reading from different scriptures
“I wondered how my own cattle became stolen animals. I suspect it is my husband who has since gone into hiding who was behind the arrest since he was against the sale,” she said. Mrs Murage told The Standard on Saturday the officers allegedly demanded Sh30,000 bribe.
Jane Nyaguthie, a relative says she notified the EACC officers after the arrest. Surprisingly she was not booked as a suspect at the station.
Baithalu and his officers went to the station’s booking unit and confiscated the Occurrence Book (OB). He said EACC would examine the document and investigate officers including the OCPD Duncan Nguthu. The OCPD told the media : “I have nothing to say to the Press. I have no issue at all.”
