Two police stations on Friday announced plans to auction various vehicles and motorbikes among other items that owners failed to pick from different stations across the country.
Through a Gazette notice dated December 6, auctioneers contracted by the police to oversee the exercise revealed that the vehicles and motorcycles would be sold to the highest bidders if the owners failed to claim them within the provided period.
The decision to auction the items was arrived at after obtaining a court order with the intended auction already published in the Kenya Gazette notice.
‘’Disposal of uncollected goods notice is issued pursuant to the provisions of the Disposal of Uncollected Goods Act (Cap. 38) of the laws of Kenya,’’ read the notice in part.
Some of the items were lying idle at Kitui Police Station in Kitui Town and Athi River Police Station in Machakos.
At Kitui Police Station, the auctioneer is slated to auction 20 motorcycles and assorted bicycles. Owners were urged to collect the said properties at the said police station upon payment cost for the publication, failure to which the auctioneer shall sell by way of public auction on expiry of 14 days’ notice from December 6.
Similarly, at Athi River Police Station, owners were urged to collect over 50 assorted items including motorbikes, motor vehicles, scrap metals, and crates of beer.
The owners were directed to collect their items after payment cost for the publication. Failure to which the auctioneer shall dispose by way of public auction on expiry of 30 days’ notice from December 6.
As per the Goods Act, a custodian should issue a notice of intention to sell with a specified date on or after which the sale will be made. Should the depositor fail to collect goods the custodian may dispose of the goods
Many Kenyans are often faced with difficulties in releasing their confiscated items from Police stations over legal hurdles and the high cost of securing the release.
The items stuck at police stations are typically subject to clearance, which at times proves too costly for the owners, who opt to leave the vehicles at the station as they seek financial resources.
However, items with prolonged stays at police stations are eventually considered obsolete and are subject to an auction.
