Police millionaires raise eyebrows during public vetting

National Police Service Commission (NPSC) Chairman Johnston Kavuludi (Right) flanked by Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett during a press briefing. Photo by WILLIS AWANDU/STANDARD

Are police officers some of the richest public servants in Kenya today? This was the question on the lips of many as vetting of police officers got underway in Kisumu. It emerged from the outcome of the first week of vetting that senior police officers have fat bank accounts, with many citing farming and merry go rounds as the source of their wealth.

The vetting has revealed massive mobile money transfers from junior to senior officers, a situation which the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) suspects could be corruption along the chain of command.

A big percentage of officers who have faced the vetting panel have been put to task to explain the unclear circumstances under which several transactions indicate movement of money up the command ladder.

About 204 officers from Nyanza and another 174 from the Western region are set to be vetted by June 19, in an exercise which was launched last Thursday by the Commission’s Chairman Johnston Kavuludi. The aspect of welfare emerged as the main reason for their numerous transactions.

Most officers claimed that with their meagre salaries, they have been forced to form merry-go-rounds where they regularly contribute money to help them meet their financial demands. The panelists have however expressed concern that the officers are not being honest.

Commissioner Ronald Musengi, who is chairing one of the panels has had to interject many officers who were seen to have had numerous transactions with their seniors, arguing that the situation was abnormal.

“The reason why we have experienced officers among us is to ensure we get a clear picture of how the service operates so that officers do not mislead us.

An OCPD would be a patron of the officers’ welfare and not a treasurer to receive money from them. I served as an OCPD for nine years and I know it is impossible to have senior officers in a welfare group with their juniors,” said Musengi.

With some officers transacting upto 60 times with their seniors, it was clear that some of the transactions were between them and officers who were no longer serving with them in the same area.

Homa Bay Base Commander Rose Ndwiga could not convince the panel why her Mpesa records showed she has transacted with Busia OCPD Chief Inspector Nelson Onuong’a 26 times. Other records showed she had also transacted Sh58,000 with Chief Inspector Jacob Kaberia currently based in Nairobi 29 times.

The story was similar for Kisumu Highway Patrol officer Pamela Chemase, who was seen to have had numerous transactions with Moses Ngugi, a Chief Inspector currently based in Vihiga. Moses Mwangi based in Suba also had a rough time convincing the panel circumstances under which he transacted cash amounting to Sh60,000 in 20 batches with his fellow corporal, Peter Shitemi.

And Senior Sergeant Albert Ereri could not explain why he sent Sh90,000 to the then OCPD Chief Inspector Paul Ndegwa 42 times. Even though Ereri insisted that Ndegwa had been a welfare treasurer, his assertions were disputed by panelists who had previously held similar positions.

“It is unclear how an officer can manage to contribute Sh2,000 weekly to more than one welfare considering their salary scales,” said Commissioner Murshid Mohammed. Farming and other small businesses also featured as the officers alternative income, with some claiming to earn up to millions from farm produce.

“I buy farm produce in bulk during the harvesting season and later sell during dry the season. I make a lot of money from that,” said Bomet-based David Chumo, a traffic policeman.