Rogue cop in viral video seen harassing boda boda riders to be arraigned - Ruto

Deputy President William Ruto has revealed an Administration Police officer seen in a video harassing boda boda operators will be arrested and charged.

In a rare tweet, Ruto posted a clip of an AP officer seen harassing two bodaboda riders who were transporting sacks of charcoal.

The DP said the office of the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai had already issued an order for the arrest of the AP officer.

The AP officer seen patrolling on a police Land Cruiser stopped the bodaboda riders before the confrontation started.

One of the locals is heard saying that the charcoal is illegal in the area but the officers allow them to be transported.

“Si legal, lakini hawa ni maaskari, lazima wachukue hongo (It is not legal but the officers must take a bribe),” he said.

The two bodaboda riders are heard confronting the officer that he had already been given money to allow transportation of the charcoal.

“Sasa si umeshapewa pesa? Si umepewa pesa?... sisi tuko tu kazi (you have already been given money..we are at work)," one of the bodaboda riders said.

The location of the confrontation is not yet clear but the officer is seen in the video drawing his pistol to scare away the bodaboda riders.

The officer later gets into the vehicle and drives away amid a heated confrontation with the boda boda riders.

In a statement posted on his Twitter handle, Ruto said that impunity cannot be allowed and that the rogue officer will be arraigned for his actions.

“There is no room for impunity even during this time when all systems are geared towards dealing with corona pandemic,” Ruto said.

He urged Kenyans to keep vigil as they adhere to the directives given by the Ministry of Health to curb further spread of coronavirus.

However, minutes later, the DP deleted the tweets.

Ruto later tweeted that the issue of the police officer mishandling locals in Marafa was brought to his attention by Magarini MP Michael Kingi.

"I promptly informed security officers of the same and the IG has acted. The officer will appear in court. We should be civil and humane in handling the public," the DP said.