Two teenagers have found themselves on the wrong side of the law after they were nabbed with an AK-47 rifle in Lokichogio, Turkana County.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), in a statement on Sunday, April 27, revealed the two teens, aged 18 and 19, were taken into custody after a tip-off from the public.
"A swift response by Lokichogio Police officers to a tip-off from members of the public has led to the arrest of two young suspects, who were found in possession of an AK-47 rifle with an empty magazine," a statement from the DCI read.
The two individuals are now scheduled for a court appearance where they could face a spate of charges, including the unlawful possession of a weapon.
While it is uncertain how the teenagers gained access to such a sophisticated weapon, cases of officers losing their firearms in the Turkana region during attacks have been rampant in recent months.
According to the Firearms Act (Cap 114), it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm without a valid licence issued by the Firearms Licensing Board.
Individuals found in possession of a firearm without a valid licence could face penalties including a jail term of up to 10 years and/or a hefty fine.
This latest arrest came amid an intense crackdown by the government to disarm civilians, particularly those living in regions prone to banditry.
During the National Assembly plenary on April 2, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen was adamant that the issue of insecurity, particularly in bandit-prone regions, was largely being enabled by police officers.
Asked about the government's progress and plan in the disarmament exercise, Murkomen claimed marginalisation was a key driver for insecurity as he warned those found culpable of facilitating armed attacks.
“We need to deal with the supply of ammunition, which we have discovered originates largely from our police officers, either procured externally or from our factory in Eldoret,” Murkomen said.
The government also revealed a close collaboration with the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to not only disarm bandits but also to shut down their supply of ammunition.
