A former British soldier has revealed that he used to hide guns for notorious thugs before he was enrolled in the army.
Speaking during a TV interview, David Etale disclosed that the gangsters would pay him Ksh35,000 before collecting the weapons.
Etale recalled that he was a professional footballer and a matatu driver in 2005 whose earnings were meagre, so he had to find a way to make ends meet.
"I was trying to earn a living. When I was playing football, we used to be paid Ksh800 for a win, Ksh400 for a draw, and Ksh50 as daily commission. We were not paid after losing. Yet these guys (criminals) were giving me Ksh35,000," he stated.
The former British soldier, however, regrets helping the thugs as he was not aware of the risks involved. He stated that all he cared about at the time was making money.
Etale's turning point came when a police officer who knew him informed him about the British Army recruitment drive.
"There was a police officer who was a good friend of mine. He knew me. He knew that I was involved in crime to make money and shared with me the opportunities in the British army. I was very young and I do regret what I was doing," he explained.
He got into the army as a footballer and this aided him to pass the fitness test. Etale was posted to Iraq for seven months and later Afghanistan where he spent a year.
Etale, however, lamented that serving in hostile countries was demanding. He lost some of his friends on the battlefield, faced surprise attacks but would always remain focused on the work as if all was well.
"It was painful. Those moments make you wonder why you signed up for the army. Sometimes you get ambushed and you have to be swift with a counter attack," he explained.
He also divulged that the British Army is no longer recruiting people from Commonwealth countries because of the lasting peace and tranquillity worldwide.
Below is the video.
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