NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 14 – The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives have apprehended four police officers who were allegedly caught extorting money from motorists plying Nairobi’s Outering Road.
They were apprehended at Quarry Stage while engaging in the act.
According to the anti-graft body, the four traffic officers had managed to collect a substantial sum of Sh15,820 within a span of less than two hours.
Much of the money confiscated consisted of denominations in 50, 100, and 200 Shilling notes.
The EACC says it launched this operation in response to numerous complaints lodged by motorists and concerned members of the public.
Reports had indicated an alarming rise in instances where traffic police officers were soliciting bribes from both private and public service vehicle operators.
In some cases, the anti-graft agency says drivers resorted to discreetly placing banknotes at specific locations on their vehicles, such as the driver’s door handle, while others dropped cash on the ground for collection by the officers.
Furthermore, certain individuals concealed money within their driving licenses, which they then handed over to the traffic officers.
The complainants argued that the elaborate bribery scheme on Outering Road has led to frequent traffic snarl-ups causing significant inconvenience for road users.
During the investigation, EACC officers keenly observed the alleged extortion activities carried out by the police officers in question.
Subsequently, the suspects were arrested and escorted to the EACC Integrity Centre Police Station, where they were detained to facilitate the ongoing investigation process.
They were later released on police bail of Sh 10,000 each pending the finalization of the remaining aspects of the investigation, including securing concurrence of the Director of Public Prosecutions on the recommendation to arraign them before the Anti-Corruption Court.
