Bus driver, conductor arrested after passenger is drugged in Utawala
Police in Machakos County arrested a bus driver and conductor after a passenger was found unconscious inside a KBS bus at Utawala Airways.
This was the second such incident to be reported in less than a week amid concerns of stupefying in public service vehicles.
The incident was reported at Muungano Police Station in Athi-River East Sub-County at about 12:20am on October 6, 2026.
According to police, the driver had left Nairobi CBD at around 8pm aboard an Isuzu bus, carrying 45 passengers.
The bus, which operates on the Nairobi CBD-Utawala Airways route, arrived at Utawala Airways at about 9pm. It was then that the driver noticed that one middle-aged male passenger remained seated and appeared unconscious.
The driver reported the matter to police, who visited the scene and arranged for the passenger to be taken to Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital for medical attention.
The passenger regained consciousness while receiving treatment and identified himself only as Korir.
Police subsequently arrested the driver and the 49-year-old conductor to assist with investigations. The bus was also detained.
The passenger remains admitted at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital in fair condition as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident continue.
Police explained the bus crew ought to ensure the safety of all passengers all the time.
Police said they are investigating a separate incident where a passenger was drugged and robbed of his valuables while travelling on a Kenya Bus Service (KBS) vehicle.
The incident was reported at Muungano Police Station on October 2, 2026, after the victim, regained consciousness at a medical facility.
The victim boarded the bus from Nairobi CBD heading towards Utawala on Thursday, October 1, at around 7pm.
While on board, a passenger seated next to him allegedly offered him a Red Bull drink. The victim said that shortly after consuming the drink, he became unconscious.
He regained consciousness on Friday at the medical facility, where he discovered that several of his belongings were missing.
The missing items included an HP laptop, two mobile phones—an Infinix and a Tecno—his national identity card and a KCB ATM card.
Police officers visited the facility and recorded the victim’s account as investigations commenced to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged stupefying and robbery and identify the suspect.
