- Two of the suspects approached the OCS on February 26 seeking a deal to release a suspect and waive any intended charges in exchange for Sh80,000.
- EACC commended the OCS for his exemplary action in refusing to compromise national security in favour of bribes.
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An Officer Commanding Station in Samburu rejected a Sh80,000 bribe and handed over the alleged bribers to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
Chief Inspector Andrew Nyabicha is the OCS at the Archers Post Police station in Samburu County.
EACC said three suspects who have since been arrested sought to secure the release of a robbery and human trafficking suspect.
EACC spokesperson Eric Ngumbi said the Commission, with the support of the OCS, carried out an investigative operation on Wednesday and arrested the suspects.
Among them are the OCS's driver, a prison warder and a kin to the robbery suspect in custody.
Ngumbi said the suspect whose release was sought through the botched bribery scheme had earlier robbed three Ethiopian female nationals who he had smuggled into the country using his vehicle.
He said on February 23, 2024, at around 5pm, it was reported that the suspect was driving a Probox Succeed, white in colour, and three Ethiopian female nationals were on board.
"On reaching Ol Donyo Sabach hill, Isiolo-Moyale highway, he diverted to the nearest thicket where he robbed the foreigners of their belongings including mobile phones, an unknown amount of cash and other personal belongings and drove away to Nairobi," a police report stated.
According to EACC, the foreigners were rescued by a good Samaritan who made a phone call to the multiagency team of officers tasked to deal with human trafficking in the region.
The suspect was arrested on February 25, while en route to Moyale from Nairobi and was booked at Archers Post Police Station awaiting arraignment for robbery, forgery and smuggling.
Police recovered several electronics, fake travel identification documents, mobile phones and receipts with both Kenyan and Ethiopian transactions in his vehicle.
EACC said two of the suspects approached the OCS on February 26 seeking a deal to release the suspect and waive any intended charges in exchange for Sh80,000.
They approached the OCS through his driver who informed him of the deal.
According to EACC, the driver was joined in the scheme through a Prison Warder, an associate of the suspect’s family.
"When the bribe offer was made, the OCS immediately filed a complaint with EACC and jointly mounted an operation on February 27, 2024, leading to the arrest of the individuals. They were arrested while handing over the amount to the OCS," the EACC spokesperson said.
Ngumbi said the suspects were escorted to EACC Upper Eastern Regional Offices in Isiolo where they were processed and released on cash bail pending arraignment after completion of investigations.
EACC commended the OCS for his exemplary action in refusing to compromise national security in favour of bribes.
"This is what EACC expects of all Police Commanders across the country to weed out corruption from police operations, which has the effect of compromising security, access to justice, and protection of lives and property," Ngumbi said.
"The Commission lauds this move and calls upon all police officers to embrace and uphold the values exhibited by the OCS."