Two officers were charged in court on the accounts of abuse of office contrary to section 102A of the penal code on Thursday, December 9.
According to a court report, the two aided a former OCS in setting up a boda boda rider operating within Makueni County.
They, however, pleaded not guilty and were released on a bond of Ksh50,000 or a cash bail of Ksh20,000.
Prior to being arraigned in court, the two had been detained at Machakos Police station to allow room for investigations. Detectives assigned to the case linked the two to the case of the former OCS who was suspended after being found guilty of abuse of office and bribery charges.
The ex-OCS was accused of abuse of office and bribery charges after he illegally ordered the arrest and detention of a boda boda rider in September 2014.
He further alleged that the rider stole a motorcycle worth Ksh85,000 that had been parked in the police station yard.
The former OCS was charged in court and fined Ksh200,000 with an alternative of facing a two-year prison sentence. Other than being suspended from duty, the former police boss is awaiting dismissal approval from the National Police Service Commission.
While issuing a verdict on the former OCS’s case, the trial Magistrate directed that two officers who were adversely mentioned during the proceedings be arrested and charged with abuse of office.
According to witnesses, the officers reportedly aided the OCS in planting rolls of marijuana and preferred false criminal charges on the boda boda rider. Following the directive by the Chief Magistrate court, the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) summoned the two officers to appear at the Unit Headquarters on November 11.
“The two officers were arrested and taken to Capitol Hill Police Station where they were processed and later released on police cash bail of Ksh10,000. They were also directed to appear before Makueni Law Courts for plea taking on December 2,” a statement by IAU read.
The trial Magistrate, however, transferred the case to Machakos Law Courts. This necessitated the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in Makueni to transfer IAU’s file to their counterpart in Machakos for further appropriate action.
While releasing them on bail, the magistrate asked them to appear before the court on Tuesday, December 14 for mention.
