Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Thursday arrested five police officers accused of soliciting bribes from motorists along the Kakamega-Bungoma Road in Mumias, Kakamega County.
According to EACC, the officers were apprehended following multiple complaints from motorists and members of the public.
The officers allegedly extorted money under the guise of enforcing traffic laws without conducting proper vehicle checks.
“The arrest followed investigations into multiple complaints from motorists, motorcyclists and members of the public that the traffic police officers were extorting money from motorists traveling along the road under the guise of traffic law enforcement, without conducting any checks on the vehicles,” EACC says in a statement.
During the operation, a dramatic scene unfolded when one of the officers attempted to escape on a motorcycle. However, local motorcyclists, who had gathered in support of the EACC operation, refused to transport him, forcing him to surrender.
The arrests took place at Ekero, where officers of various ranks, including senior sergeant, corporal, and constables, were taken into custody.
The suspects were later transferred to the EACC Western Regional Office in Bungoma before being booked at Bungoma Police Station.
EACC has intensified its crackdown on corrupt traffic officers across the country as part of efforts to curb bribery on Kenyan roads.
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