The High Court in Malindi on Thursday issued a warrant for arrest against the Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett for defying a court order.
Boinnet was accused of declining to adhere to a directive ordering him not to interfere with the operations of Star Ways Sacco Limited after one of its buses was involved in a grisly road accident last month leaving 26 passengers dead and 23 others injured.
The court further ordered the arrest of National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) Chairman Francis Meja, Traffic Department Commandant Jacinta Muthoni and NTSA Enforcement Officer Hared Adan.
Star Ways Sacco went to court and obtained an order directing police officers not to interfere with its fleet of buses until the matter was heard on May 29.
According to Director of Star Ways Ali Abubakar, NTSA officials and the National Police Service defied the order and seized two of their buses in Voi towing them to Mombasa Police Station.
They also impounded four other buses, two along the Mombasa-Malindi highway, towing them to Kijipwa Police Station and two in Machakos.
"NTSA impounded all our buses plying the Lamu, Malindi, Mombasa, Nairobi and Kampala routes, including those that were on the road carrying passengers to their destinations. This has occasioned us inconveniences, huge and inconceivable business losses, unfair and unjust treatment, and also waste of resources," Mr Abubakar claimed.
"NTSA officials have rejected the court order we were using on the road as the case went on in court. Being in the same Sacco as Busways doesn't mean we carry the burden of another company. This is unfair and we condemn it," Salim Swaleh a driver of one of the buses lamented.
The accident happened at Kambuu along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway after the bus dubbed 'Buscar' collided with a truck.
