A rogue police officer posing as a traffic was arrested on Thursday morning after allegedly attempting to extort money from a former Safaricom board chairman and motorist in the Muthaiga area of Nairobi.
The officer had also extorted an expatriate who is a foreigner of USD300 and Sh9,000 in Karen.
According to the ex-Safaricom chairman John Ngumi, a resident of Muthaiga, the incident occurred at around 10:00 a.m. while he was driving his motor vehicle, a Toyota saloon, along Muthaiga Road towards his residence.
Ngumi reported that he was stopped by a man dressed in a khaki police uniform adorned with two military-pattern stars on the shoulder badge, a white cap, a reflective jacket and carrying a notebook.
The suspect allegedly informed him that he had contravened traffic laws by driving an unroadworthy vehicle due to a dented boot and claimed the offence attracted a fine of Sh350,000 in court.
The complainant was then directed to drive towards Park Road within the Pangani area, where they stopped. It was at this point that the suspect allegedly demanded Sh50,000 to facilitate his release without being taken to court.
Sensing foul play, Ngumi raised alarm, prompting traffic police officers who were on duty along Park Road to respond swiftly. The officers escorted both the suspect and the complainant to Pangani Police Station.
At the station, the suspect identified himself as Inspector George Otieno Owira attached to CIPU Siaya County Headquarters.
He had traveled to Nairobi and got traffic uniform that he was using in his mission. It emerged he had also extorted a number of unsuspecting motorists.
The victim’s report was formally booked, and the suspect was handed over to officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Pangani for further interrogation.
Investigations are ongoing to establish the probable number of victims he has conned.
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