Officers under probe over Sh0.4m heist

By STEVE MKAWALE

Nakuru, Kenya: A crack police unit is on the spot after its officers allegedly robbed a Nakuru businesswoman more than Sh400,000 and later arrested her on trumped up charges.

Four officers attached to the Flying Squad in Nakuru town intercepted Christine Kajuju Mwiti along Oginga Odinga Street shortly after closing her business at Section 58 Estate at around 9pm on Sunday.

Officer in charge of the Criminal Investigations Department Collins Wekesa said they were investigating the incident.

“The lady has recorded a statement and we have opened a file. We are investigating the claims that she lost the money during the incident,” said Wekesa when reached for comment.

The officers are alleged to have accosted Ms Mwiti, who operates a wines and spirits factory, as she left her business premises. The officers who were in an unmarked car intercepted her vehicle and ordered her out at gun-point.

“I pleaded with them not to shoot and one of them pulled me out of the car, leaving the engine running,” Mwiti told The Standard at Central Police Station where she was being held by yesterday morning.

The businesswoman says she identified herself and requested to be allowed to pick the money inside the vehicle but was bundled into the police vehicle.

“My pleas to the officers to allow me collect the money from the vehicle or drive my car to the station fell on deaf ears as one of the officers threatened to shoot me,” she said.

Collection from sales

Mwiti said the money was three-days collection from sales in her liquor distribution business and she was planning to bank it on Monday.

“The money was stashed under the mat below the driver’s seat and I was on the way to drop my cashier Betty Nyaboke in town to board a matatu when the incident occurred,” said Mwiti, who claimed that the officers assaulted her.

What is even curious is that an Occurrence Book report No 70/2/3/14 at Central Police Station identifies Mwiti as unknown.

Nakuru OCPD Bernard Kioko said he was not briefed about the case and referred our team to either CID or county commandant.