Over 100 officers sacked due to bribery and professional misconduct

Dennis Tarus

December 7, 2016 12:22 PM

The officers were sacked over unexplained financial transactions, professional misconduct, operating matatu business contrary to regulations, sending and receiving money from fellow police officers and receiving money from transporters and operators of breakdown businesses.

Over 100 traffic police officers have been sacked from the National Police Service after failing the vetting process.

127 traffic police officers have been sacked from the National Police Service after failing the vetting process.

The officers were sacked over unexplained financial transactions, professional misconduct, operating matatu businesses contrary to regulations, sending and receiving money from fellow police officers and receiving money from transporters and operators of breakdown businesses.

NPSC chairman Johnston Kavuludi said of the 904 officers vetted, 72 are pending investigations before the vetting results, while 26 were removed after opting not to be interviewed.

"Unlike previously when only an average 4 per cent of officers vetted were found to be unsuitable, this time the number has shot up to 14 per cent,” he said.

Kavuludi said that sufficient mechanisms have been put in place by the service to monitor officers who have been removed from the service to ensure they remain law abiding citizens.

The commission dismissed 36 officers from Coast, 23 from Western, 50 from Rift Valley and 18 from Nyanza.

Reinstated officers

The next round of the vetting exercise of traffic officers will now shift to Nairobi, Kajiado, Central, Eastern and North Eastern regions.

At the same time, the NPSC chair said that 20 officers who had been previously fired and applied for vetting review had been reinstated after passing the process.

They include Masoud Mwinyi, William Meto, William Kariuki Ngugi, Japheth Ngwata, Chacha Daniel Chacha and Festus Malinge Luruma.

Last month, the Matatu Owners Association (MOA) denied reports that the public transport vehicles willingly give out bribes.

Their chairman, Simon Kimutai said they were threatened by the traffic officers to pay up, failure to which trumped-up charges are labelled against them, hence they had no option but to bribe the police.

Dennis Tarus