The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) took five suspects into custody on Thursday in relation to an extortion racket that has been harassing businessmen and residents of Lunga Lunga, Kwale County.
Two of the suspects, Corporal Benson Njoroge Mburu and Constable Margaret Maina, were positively identified as AP officers posted at the Kiamumbi and Kamiti posts respectively.
"The suspects who included officers were today arrested within Lunga Lunga Township for harassing and extorting money from buses and people," a section of the DCI statement divulged.
The other three, Duncan Njogu Mukono, Grace Wambui Ndungu, Purity Mumbi Njagi, were accused of impersonating National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) officers.
Detectives revealed that the gang used to solicit bribes from buses as well as business people who fell short of the various requirements laid out by the environmental authority.
The three civilians allegedly masqueraded as government officials with Mukono posing as the designated driver.
At the time of their arrest, Mukono's phone had been loaded with Ksh 25,000 sent by one of the complainants who had tipped off the detectives about the corrupt officers.
Detectives further revealed that all the suspects had allegedly received substantial amounts of money from numerous unsuspecting citizens.
In their elaborate scheme, the two officers pretended to be part of the security detail attached to the fake NEMA officers as they went about their shady business, which they reportedly conducted using a silver-coloured Nissan Tiida.
NEMA has since affirmed that none of the suspects had ever worked at the governmental agency.
DCI went on to disclose that a sixth suspect had managed to escape the police dragnet, but emphasised that they would leave no stone unturned until the criminal was brought to justice.
