Moiben Member of Parliament Phylis Bartoo's bodyguard has been arrested for allegedly losing his firearm in a club.
According to Uasin Gishu County Police Commander Benjamin Mwanthi, the officer is being held in custody to establish why he had the firearm at that odd hour.
“We are holding the officer in custody to establish why he had the firearm at that odd hour and under whose authorisation,” Mwanthi said.
It was reported that the officer lost the government-issued Beretta pistol and 15 rounds of ammunition on Sunday night while drinking with friends at a club owned by a popular MP, in Sukunanga.
The club is about one kilometre from Naiberi Police Station.
Mwanthi said that the officer reported the weapons were missing at around 10pm and reported the matter to his seniors the same night.
The investigations indicated that the officer was in the company of two friends when the firearm went missing. The group had been drinking before the officer noticed the pistol was no longer in his possession.
Mwanthi appealed to the public to assist in tracing the missing firearm, which he confirmed was a Beretta pistol, serial number A16361, loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition.
“As we interrogate the officer, I humbly appeal to residents to report to the police if they come across the firearm. Our teams are already on the ground searching for it,” Mwanthi said.
The police boss further confirmed that the officer will be arraigned in court once investigations are complete.
The incident comes amid growing concern over cases of police officers losing firearms, with security experts warning that such lapses pose a serious risk if the weapons end up in criminal hands.
Residents in Eldoret have since raised questions over why the officer carried the firearm to a social setting, with some calling for accountability from his seniors.
Meanwhile, police have intensified patrols in the area as the search for the missing pistol continues.
