A police officer suspected of possessing more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition will remain in custody at the Capitol Hill Police Station until Monday, when his case is scheduled for mention before a Milimani court.
The officer, an armourer attached to the Turkana County Police Headquarters, was arrested on Thursday at the Kenyatta Avenue roundabout along Uhuru Highway in Nairobi.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) reported that they intercepted him after receiving intelligence about a vehicle carrying suspicious cargo in a Toyota Passo.
A search reportedly led to the recovery of 1,007 rounds of 5.56 mm calibre ammunition packed in a sealed carton inside a black backpack. The rounds, commonly used in assault rifles, were seized and booked as exhibits.
Appearing before Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo on Friday, the prosecution said the officer was on annual leave from September 23 to November 11, 2025, and therefore lacked official authority to handle or transport the ammunition at the time.
Investigators said the discovery raised concerns about possible diversion of state-owned arms and ammunition.
According to a DCI affidavit, inquiries are underway into whether the officer may be connected to a broader network linked to insecurity in the North Rift, where banditry and armed raids have caused deaths and displacement.
The affidavit stated that the recovered rounds were suspected to have been intended for criminal use, including violence and large-scale banditry in Turkana and neighbouring counties.
Prosecutors asked the court to grant custodial orders, saying detectives needed additional time to recover documents, record witness statements and trace the source of the consignment.
They told the court the ammunition would undergo ballistic analysis to determine whether it is linked to other crimes in the region and requested time for forensic cyber-analysis of the suspect’s mobile phones, which they believe may contain relevant communications.
During the session, the officer requested legal representation, telling the court that his lawyer was travelling from Eldoret to appear for him.
"I humbly ask the court to allow me legal representation. My lawyer is on the way from Eldoret,” he told the magistrate.
The magistrate granted the request and directed that the matter be mentioned before Magistrate Ben Mark Ekhubi on Monday, September 29, 2025.
"The court will allow the suspect to remain in custody as investigations continue,” Magistrate Onsarigo ruled.
