Four police officers have been arrested for allegedly stealing Ksh373,000 from a pedestrian walking along Charles Rubia Road in Nairobi.
The officers who were on the beat in the city are said to have accosted and robbed William Tongoyo of the money he had been paid after selling meat at Burma market at around 13:50 pm on Friday, June 2, 2023.
The officers are Wycliff Onsare Singombe, Caroline Chelagat, Prisca Kwamboka and Raphael Ndugire Kinyanjui.
In a complaint lodged at Kamukunji Police Station, Tongoyo told the police that he was walking along Charles Rubia Road towards Nyamakima to board a matatu to Narok when he was stopped by three uniformed police officers who handcuffed him on an allegation that he was “loitering around town aimlessly”.
“He was taken through a lane and at a certain point he was searched and one of the officers stole from him a total of Ksh 373,000/- which he had been paid as proceeds after selling meat of twelve cows at Burma market at Shaurimoyo,” the police report reads in part.
The victim claims that he tried to follow the officers to have his money returned but they disappeared into the midst of the people.
He reported the matter at DCI Kamukunji, saying he could identify the officers.
Police said an impromptu operation led by the Central Sub-county police commander, the Sub-county criminal investigation officer and DCI Kamukunji CI Muchai was launched and officers patrolling the city were asked to assemble at the junction of River Road and Ronald Ngala Street around midday.
The complainant was thereafter asked if he could identify the officers who stole from him and managed to identify the four.
“When the complainant was brought to see if he could identify any of the officers, he immediately identified one No. 253694 Pc Wycliff Onsare Singombe who was on lockup kamukunji 16. In turn the said officer identified his colleagues 2) No . 225929 Cpl Caroline Chelagat 3) No. 104606 Pc (w) Prisca Kwamboka and 4) No. 87000 Pc Raphael Ndugire Kinyanjui who by that time was said to had gone for lunch,” the report adds.
“The three officers were disarmed and escorted to Kamukunji Police station where Pc Kinyanjui turned up later and when the complaint saw him coming upstairs he also identified him as one amongst the three who had stolen from him.”
According to the police, the officers were searched and no significant money was recovered from them.
They recorded their statements and were booked in the cells pending further investigations.
