Garissa OCPD replaced in a bid to address insecurity

By Cyrus Ombati

Garissa, Kenya: Garissa OCPD Ali Losku has been transferred in the ongoing purge on security officials in the town in an effort to address serial killings that have left scores of people killed and others wounded.

Losku who has been moved to Police Headquarters in Nairobi will be replaced by Mr Benjamin Ong’ombe from GSU Headquarters.

His transfer comes in the wake of interdiction of at least ten officers, chiefs and customs officials as part of efforts to address the menace.

A police operation which started a week ago has so far left more than 500 people arrested most of them being refugees. The operation is being slowed down because of low morale among officers.

Among those interdicted are the local CID boss John Mateche and six Chiefs to pave way for investigation into illegal criminal activities linked to the recent killings of innocent people in the town.

Commissioner Mohammed Maalim said the chiefs and their assistants along the border locations of Liboi, Kulan, Dertu and Hagadera were allegedly aiding movement of contraband goods, which led to rampant insecurity in the county.

Maalim also disclosed that two other chiefs within the township and a number of security officers have been asked to show cause why disciplinary action cannot be taken against them for abetting crime.

He said illegal importation of contraband items including foodstuff from across the border point to Somalia and Ethiopia has fueled business rivalry amongst the locals, adding any state officer involved into such activity will face the full force of the law.

“Nobody will be spared. We will pursue all crime abettors irrespective of one status,” said Maalim who also hinted that more security officials are on the radar.

According to sources, at least three financiers of the terror movement were arrested during a major daylight operation.

The arrests follow an attack at a popular restaurant in which at least 10 people were killed by gunmen.

Police also placed on the radar a leading private financial transfer agency arresting an unknown number of its workers.

The operation, most of it conducted within the town centre, was purposely planned in order to capture criminals who avoid spending the night at their residential homes for fear of arrest. It has since extended to other nearby towns.

Polices sources said the key suspects, who cannot be named but are known to the locals, are said to have been involved in aiding the terror group by way of financing their cruel operations to kill innocent Kenyans including the security forces.