Traffic Cops Set to be Questioned Over Assault of Female Motorist

Officers on duty near Wangari Maathai Road when a female motorist was assaulted by bodaboda riders are among those being interrogated.

A group of detectives is trying to figure out what part the cops played in stopping the assault on the day it occurred.

The motorist and some witnesses told police that one cop arrived at the scene a few minutes before the assault but seemed overwhelmed or did little to help.

The police will be questioned on allegations of sexual assault and armed robbery.

Police were given 15 days to keep 16 riders on Thursday so that their investigations could be completed.

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Although it has been revealed that the traffic cops were not armed at the time, their colleagues believe they may have sought backup prior to the assault.

“We will have their statements and send them to the relevant authorities who will determine if they failed to do their job or not,” a cop told The Star.

The assault occurred on March 4 after a female driver traveling from Gigiri to Parklands collided with a bodaboda rider at the Barabara Tano crossroads.

While she was negotiating with the victim, a gang of bikers arrived and began assaulting her, causing her to flee for her own protection.

The group followed her for a short time before blocking her path and sexually abusing her. She claimed to have misplaced her iPhone and some Sh130,000 in the process.

Read Also: Two Suspected Members of a Syndicate Stealing Motorbikes from Bodaboda Riders Arrested

Traffic cops on patrol arrived and took her to the Parklands police station, where she was instructed to leave and return after resting.

The entire incident was caught on tape, which has since gone viral.

Various stakeholders have denounced the event and called for steps to rein in the rogue bodaboda riders.

And since then, a new video has surfaced that appears to have been shot just moments before the now-famous footage of the assault.

The woman, who has subsequently been identified as a Zimbabwean national, is still fully clothed and holding her cellphone in the new footage.

Read Also: Police Rescue Theft Suspect from Irate Bodaboda Riders in Kamulu

Following the drama, a huge operation was started, which resulted in the arrest of over 1,000 riders and the seizure of 3,000 motorcycles.

The government has waived the Sh5,800 registration fee that riders have to pay as part of the process of obtaining a Smart Driving License in order to resume operations.

Riders must also be members of a Sacco and display their numbers at all times.

“It is better to forgo the money and have a reliable register of the riders,” said Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i when he announced the waiver.

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