Insecurity worsens as protectors turn into hardcore criminals

By ZADOCK ANGIRA
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Top police commanders are grappling with the crisis.

Members of the disciplined forces are increasingly being caught in crime to the consternation of the citizens they are supposed to protect.

This week, the Nairobi command under Benson Kibue met to plan how to better keep track of their own officers and root out the rotten potatoes from the force.

The police are also grappling with the menace posed by criminal ex-officers who use the skills they learnt on the job to lethal effect.

The trend of security personnel engaging in crime hit a new high this week after three soldiers were arrested and arraigned before a Kibera court charged with robbery with violence.

The three, all based at the Karen’s National Defence College, were arrested following a botched robbery in Ngong.

After the arrest, some of the residents identified them as the suspects behind other robberies that had been committed in the area before.

Details have also emerged of a cartel selling police uniform to former police officers and other criminals, especially in Nairobi’s Eastlands.

On Thursday, four suspected robbers including a former Administration Police officer were arrested in Huruma and found with police uniform.

The four— Dickson Mukunga (former AP officer), John Gakoni, Anthony Gitau and Isaac Ngula — were found in possession of two pairs of complete AP uniform, two berets and a police radio.

BAD APPLES

Following the increase in the number of errant officers, Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo had earlier directed that specialised units like the Special Crime Prevention Unit (SCPU) and crime intelligence personnel be deployed to crack down on the rogue officers.

This has however not been very effective since a few bad apples from these specialised units have also been implicated in serious crimes.

Even the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the service’s Internal Affairs Unit are unable able to crack down on the errant officers.

In July, for example, two Flying Squad officers from Naivasha were arrested for robbing a businessman who had just returned from Sudan of Sh868,000.

During the same time, there were increased cases of bank robberies in the town, forcing the area OCPD to enhance patrols along Moi Avenue where most of the targeted banks are to be found.

The Police service does not have a clear strategy to monitor its officers, even those employed in sensitive areas.
UNCONTROLLED FIREARMS

A dispatch rider at the police headquarters, charged with the responsibility of delivering even sensitive documents, was in June arrested after a botched robbery along Mombasa Road.

Corporal Peter Githui together with his other colleagues were arrested by the SCPU officers after they attempted steal a consignment of pharmaceutical goods worth Sh30million that was destined for Kampala Uganda.

The police comparative crime figures between January and May last year and this year revealed a 243 per cent increase in officers involved in crime.

The report titled, Kenya Police Service Comparative Figures shows that between January and May 2011, 18 officers were charged with various crimes, but in 2012, only 14 officers were charged. However, the number increased to 48 this year.

Analysts say that arbitrary dismissals, lack of control of firearms and police uniforms, absence of clear vetting among others have resulted in increase in cases of crime involving police officers.

Police are considered to be on duty 24 hours a day however, there are cases where they are supposed to return their firearms for storage.

Investigations reveal that though the officers are also expected to return the firearms to the armouries immediately they book off duty and the station commanders are expected to check regularly, this is rarely the case.

In the case of police, the firearms on duty should be properly accounted for in both the Arms Movement Book and the Occurrence Book (OB).

Security analyst George Musamali of the Executive Protection Services says ttacks by rogue officers are usually successful. The officers are thoroughly trained in handling of firearms and clearly understand how police operate, especially when a robbery is reported.

“We are not recruiting the right people through thorough vetting. It is a fact that any Kenyan with money can be recruited into the service.

Also, the Certificate of Good Conduct issued by the CID alone cannot be relied upon. Security officers can access firearms anytime and there is no clear policy to monitor them, unlike in the past when all the police officers were confined to police quarters,” he said.

The suspected robbers involved in last week’s exchange at Lavington that left a station chief and another officer injured involved former police officers.

They served at the Anti-stock Theft Unit (ASTU) and General Service Unit (GSU) respectively. Both had been dismissed from the service due to lack of discipline..

The two engaged the police for hours.

Some bank staff are also suspected to be colluding with rogue officers who then target customers leaving the bank.

One of the victims who sought anonymity told us that he was confronted by police officers along Kenyatta Avenue, just few metres from the bank.

LOST A RIFLE

“I was shocked when police officers in uniform confronted me and told me to surrender the Sh320,000 I had withdrawn from the bank,” he said. Another victim, Naphtaly Michira withdrew Sh440,000 from Equity KNUT branch and on reaching Kencom stage, he was confronted by four police officers in uniform who forced him into their car, a white Toyota NZE, and drove away with him to Loresho.

“I had put the money in different pockets but they appeared to know the total amount. They then gave me Sh100 as my fare back to town,” said Mr Michira.

The situation is further worsened by officers who recklessly lose their firearms.

An officer based at the Central police station lost an AK47 loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition and a police radio set in unclear circumstances.

The officer’s colleague realised that he was drunk and decided to escort him back to the station.

He could not trace the two later.

The Small Arms and Light Weapons Management and Control Bill provides for stiffer penalties for such recklessness.

Any person who, for example, loses a firearm by reason of recklessness or negligence will earn one imprisonment of seven years or to a fine of Sh10 million according to the proposals before Parliament.

Failure to secure a firearm so that it constitutes a threat to the public or occasions injury to a third party may earn an offender imprisonment of not less than 18 months and a fine of Sh500,000.

Lack of thorough vetting during recruitment has also contributed to the vice.

The recruitment of AP and regular police officers, for example are now held jointly and in a single day countrywide unlike in the past when such hiring was staggered over several days.

The new system forces the recruiting team to rely only on the Certificate of Good Conduct issued by the CID.

Military spokesman Bogita Ongeri yesterday said that the military had the mechanisms of monitoring serving officers to ensure that they did not engage in crime.

He however said that they were not concerned with the former soldiers.

“We only monitor the activities of those in active service and have no plan for former soldiers. That is the work of civilian police,” he said.