Special police squad to fight coffee theft

By MURIMI MWANGI and JOB WERU

NYERI COUNTY, KENYA: A special police squad dubbed the Anti-Coffee Theft Unit will be established in Nyeri County to tackle stealing of the produce.

Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua said the squad will receive two vehicles, which will be fuelled by the county government to assist in eliminating the vice.

“I want to make this clear that if you want to earn from coffee, it has to be yours. Theft of other farmers’ produce must stop,” Mr Gachagua, who was speaking in Nyeri yesterday, said.

Nyeri CID boss Julius Emase lauded plans to establish the special squad.

He said the county has received 40 extra police officers.

He added the squad will patrol the county and ensure coffee theft is eliminated.

“If we come across someone ferrying coffee in trucks at night, they will have to explain or face the law,” said Mr Emase.

Runaway crime

The county will also acquire four Land Rovers for regular police to tackle escalating crime.

Nyeri town has seen an upsurge in crime recently.

House break-ins have been prevalent even during daylight in estates neighbouring the town, while mugging starts as early as 7pm.

Gachagua said acquisition of patrol vehicles for police will boost fight against crime.

Meanwhile, a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer died on the spot, while a motorcyclist died while undergoing treatment after they were involved in separate accidents in Nanyuki town.

Speeding

The officer attached to Laikipia Air Base was driving the vehicle towards the facility.

Laikipia East OCPD Marius Tum said the officer’s vehicle collided head-on with another along Nanyuki-Laikipia Air Base Road. “The two vehicles collided near Nanyuki sewerage. The other driver sustained serious injury to both legs,” said Mr Tum.

In the other incident, the cyclist was hit by a speeding vehicle. The rider, a resident of Likii village, died while undergoing treatment at Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital. Tum said it was suspected the vehicle’s driver was drunk and was speeding.

“We found several empty bottles of alcohol and others that had beer in the vehicle, which is an indication that he could have been consuming alcohol or he took it before driving,” said Tum.