Four suspects were Tuesday charged over vandalism of a security wall of the Standard Gauge Railway in Mtito Andei, Makueni county.
The four were found with 62 metal rods that they had removed from the wall, a binding wire and other materials used to fix the materials.
Police later produced the four in a local court and charged them with the vandalism claims.
Officials said the suspects will face economic sabotage and terrorism-related charges to serve as a warning to any other persons harbouring the idea of vandalising railway property.
The vandals took advantage of the political situation in the country to commit the crime, police said.
Police handling the matter said their surveillance showed the wall had been tampered with, exposing the SGR to other dangers.
They then conducted a joint operation with the Kenya Wildlife Service personnel during which they arrested the four and recovered the materials.
Efforts were being made to restore the affected place, which is about 100 metres apart.
The security agents had earlier this year commissioned an operation centre in Nairobi for the surveillance of Nairobi-Mombasa railway line.
Police also received vehicles donated by the Chinese government to enhance operations.
The centre, which is installed with CCTV cameras, is key in monitoring activities along the corridor and disseminating information to police officers on the ground for quick response.
The commissioning was presided over by the Deputy Inspector General-Kenya Police Service Edward Mbugua who termed the centre as a "major boost in the fight against vandalism."
SGR has been suffering persistent vandalism which at times affects their operations.
In 2020, critical blocks on the railway disappeared and led to the stoppage of operations along the busy railway line for two hours, as railway engineers and security officers inspected the extent of the damage caused to the national transport infrastructure.
The gauge blocks ensure the width of the railway line is maintained and the absence can lead to devastating consequences, including the derailment of a train.
The SGR is a key national infrastructure that supports the socioeconomic development of the country.
The security of the infrastructure has been part of discussions in the past days among security agencies.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
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