Two Police Officers were on Tuesday arrested in Eldoret after allegedly assaulting a trader, and snatching Sh50,000 from him as a punishment for refusing to pay a bribe.
One of the officers who threatened to shoot the accused, is said to have used his gun to hit Simington Kiplagat on his right eye, almost blinding him.
Speaking on Thursday after leaving Hospital, Mr Kiplagat said he was driving students during a trip when he was stopped by the police.
“I was driving, on my way for an excursion to Kurga Farm with students when the officers stopped me and asked for Sh5,000 bribe for overloading,” he told The Star.
Mr Kiplagat admitted to having 20 passengers in a 14-seater van but pleaded with the officers to allow him to drop off some of the children.
The trader narrated that on his way back from the excursion, he was stopped again but told them he did not have money.
However, while the officers stepped aside to deliberate on the matter, Kiplagat sped off in an attempt to escape but the law enforcers riding on a motorbike caught up with him.
“The one with the gun pulled it out, ready to shoot me so I stopped. The children who witnessed the incident jumped out of the vehicle and ran into a nearby farm,” he said.
The officer with the gun allegedly hit his windscreen, pulled out the key from the ignition before punching his eye using the gun-butt.
Kiplagat said that the officers took Sh50,000 he had set aside for his maize business, with attempts to get it back proving futile, as they threatened to shoot him. He then drove to hospital to seek medical assistance.
Head of Police in the Rift Valley Area, Nelson Taliti, confirmed the incident and stated that investigations would be conducted on the matter.
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