A 17-year-old teenager dressed in police uniform clashed with armed officers who were on a night patrol in Meru County.
Law enforcers stated that - on Sunday, April 25 - they waylaid the minor who was with an older accomplice after they were suspected to be police imposters.
The duo had earlier on posed as police officers at a warehouse where they were accused of stealing valuables. They were reportedly accompanied by two others who managed to evade arrest.
Police were forced to pull out their guns on the suspects who threatened to fight them. They later fire in the air after the minor with his accomplice resisted arrest.
The two were caught wearing police attire belonging to the National Police Service (NPS).
Detectives alleged that the uniform was either stolen or illegally obtained to aid them to commit the crime in the county.
They were arraigned in court on April 28 and both denied the charges. The court released them on Ksh 500,000 cash bail.
Earlier in April, Citizen TV investigative reporter unravelled a syndicate within the police service, alleging that criminals hire guns, ammunition and police attire from police.
In the investigative report dubbed Guns Galore (Silaha Mtaani), Mwambia claimed that the thugs part with up to Ksh200,000. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti, denied the reports, arguing that the report was meant to dent the image of NPS.
However, more evidence has since surfaced indicating that police uniform, weapon and machinery are used in committing crime in the country. Other than the arrest of the 17-year-old in Meru, police have since then apprehended several other suspects.
On Monday, April 26, a police officer and a civilian were accosted in Changamwe, Mombasa after they attacked a police constable.
The two were caught with police uniforms and tear gas. Police further recovered several items belonging to the state after raiding one of the suspect's houses.
"The duo were wearing police jungle uniforms," police stated.
