EACC arrests Murang’a traffic officer with over Ksh.6K bribe in cash

Detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have arrested a traffic police officer in Murang’a town for allegedly soliciting and receiving bribes from motorists along a major highway.

The suspect, Police Constable Kelvin Mwangi, attached to Murang’a Traffic Base, was arrested following a targeted surveillance operation along the busy Kenol–Murang’a Road.

The operation was launched after EACC received multiple complaints from members of the public over alleged rampant bribery by traffic officers along the route.

Following the arrest, a search on the suspect led to the recovery of Ksh.6,450 in denominations of Ksh.50, Ksh.100 and Ksh.200, believed to have been collected within a two-hour period.

EACC said the officer’s colleague, PC Mathew Osike, managed to escape arrest during the operation.

The suspect was escorted to the EACC Central Regional Offices for processing before being booked at Nyeri Police Station, where he was later released on cash bail pending the conclusion of investigations.

During the same operation, EACC officers also disrupted another suspected bribery collection point along the Kerugoya–Kutus Road near the Bekam area.

The commission said traffic officers at the location fled into nearby bushes, leaving behind their official police attire.

The operation follows a similar arrest on Tuesday, where another traffic police officer in Mtwapa town was nabbed over similar bribery allegations.

The officer, identified as Mazera Haron, was apprehended following several days of surveillance by EACC officers along the Mtwapa–Malindi Road, where the suspect was intercepted.

Upon his arrest, the officer was found in possession of Ksh.13,750, all in Ksh.100 denomination notes, which investigators believe to be proceeds of bribery.