Image: FILE
A prison warder and three police officers who have allegedly been harassing residents in Nairobi's CBD have been detained for three days for investigations.
Prison warder Joseph Dida Gumi, Oliver Tambo Mayavi, Kevin Adanje and Duncan Wasike are attached to Kamukunji and Railways police stations.
Investigating officer William Kibue asked magistrate Muthoni Nzibe to grant them five days.
They are being investigated for robbery with violence and were arrested on Monday evening.
Police said they need time to record a statement from a witness mentioned by the complainant.
Kibue says they will liaise with the Prisons Department and arrest other suspects at large.
The investigating police also said they need time to for an identification parade.
The police said the men are dangerous and a flight risk and if released before completion of investigations. They said they may interfere with witnesses.
Kibue said more complainants who have been harassed by the suspects are yet to record statements and they expect more to come forward.
The court heard that the investigations are very complex.
I was not sure whether this were real police officers or criminals pretending to the policeNairobi businessman Joe Gakure Muburi
Kibue said a Nairobi businessman Joe Gakure Muburi reported at Central Police that the officers, alleged to be from the Central Police and the Flying Squad arrested, him and threatened to arraign him several charges if he did not give them money.
He gave the officers Sh4,000, the court heard.
Muburi recorded his statement over the weekend.
It is alleged that the armed officers have been harassing boda boda operators and civilians around Afya Centre and the downtown streets in the CBD.
Gumi, who was arraigned separately on Monday evening, will be detained for five days while the rest will be detained for three days.
Last week, Muburi wrote a long post on Facebook about his ordeal at the hands of the rogue cops.
He said he was one of the victims who was arrested last week on River road at 9 pm where he had gone running errands.
According to Muburi’s account, the officers produced police ID cards. He was handcuffed and was taken around town through Accra Road, Tsavo Road, Latema Road and later through Koja Mosque, all the while not knowing why he had been arrested.
He said they asked for money to secure his freedom and at one point, were deliberating on whether to take him to Central or hand him over to the city council.
When he refused to give them the money, they started taking him towards Globe Cinema roundabout. Because he knew the area is dark and isolated, he felt unsafe and gave them Sh4,000 for his release.
Security guards in the area said the rogue officers target innocent people who seem rich and will take the victims around town until they part with a bribe.
(Edited by R. Wamochie)