Five traffic officers attached to Busia Police Station have been arrested for allegedly receiving bribes along the Kisumu-Busia Highway.
The officers were arrested on Thursday, November 6, following an investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) after numerous complaints from motorists. They were apprehended along the busy Kisumu-Busia Highway, approximately five kilometres from Busia Town.
According to the EACC, they had been investigating the matter after motorists and locals reported that the officers were soliciting bribes from drivers.
“The arrests follow an investigation mounted by the EACC after receiving numerous complaints from motorists and members of the public regarding rampant extortion by officers manning the roadblock,” the EACC said.
The police officers were caught red-handed by EACC officials while demanding bribes from motorists entering or leaving the border town. Interestingly, the traffic officers received the bribes without enforcing traffic regulations or conducting any vehicle checks.
“Those apprehended include Corporal Hezron Aburi, Corporal Mary Nabei, Police Constable James Weru, Police Constable Mwakwekwe Nyoka, and Police Constable Aisha Abdullahi,” the EACC added.
After the arrest, the traffic officers were taken to the EACC Western Regional Office in Bungoma, where they recorded statements before being transferred to the Bungoma Police Station for further action.
The EACC has been conducting such operations with the aim of eradicating bribery in public service and improving service delivery to all citizens across the country. In the coming days and months, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission plans to scale up intelligence gathering and surveillance targeting public sectors prone to bribery.
