The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is searching for traffic police officers who evaded arrest during an operation to apprehend officers allegedly soliciting and receiving bribes from motorists.
The officer is part of a group of four others whom the commission was trailing following an intelligence-led operation where three of his colleague officers attached to Kyumbi Traffic Police Base in Machakos County were arrested over allegations of soliciting and receiving bribes at a roadblock along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway near Machakos Junction.
The officers, including two corporals and one constable, were taken into custody and escorted to the EACC Lower Eastern Regional Office in Machakos, where they were processed and their statements recorded.
EACC said the Tuesday operation is part of its continued drive to tackle corruption within law enforcement and to promote integrity, accountability, and professionalism in public service.
The commission called on members of the public and law enforcement personnel to report any instances of bribery or corrupt practices.
Investigators indicated that the arrested officers allegedly solicited bribes from motorists passing through the Kyumbi area, a key transit point along the highway.
On December 30 last year, EACC nabbed two traffic officers in Mombasa and Murang'a county over corruption allegations on two separate instances after multiple complaints from the public regarding rampant bribery by traffic officers.
The first officer, who was attached to the Murang'a traffic base, was nabbed along the Kenol- Murang'a Road, and officers from the commission recovered Ksh6,450 in denominations of Ksh50, 100, and 200, which were believed to have been collected within two hours.
In the same operation, officers from the commission also caught another officer along the Kerugoya–Kutus Road red-handed while he was in the process of collecting bribery. The officer later escaped into nearby bushes, leaving behind official police attire.
The second officer was arrested along the Mtwapa- Malindi Road, and was found in possession of Ksh13,750, in 100 notes, believed to be proceeds of corruption.
The latest operation comes just weeks after the commission apprehended three other traffic officers, including an inspector of Police, along the Kisumu- Kisii at Sondu for allegedly soliciting and receiving bribes from motorists.
According to the commission, the three were caught while demanding bribes from motorists without conducting any inspections or enforcing traffic regulations.
