Vetted police officers admit corruption is deep-rooted

Nairobi Police Commander Benson Kibue is among those who were vetted.  [PHOTO: COLLINS KYEYU/STANDARD]

By CYRUS OMBATI

NAIROBI, KENYA: The second phase of vetting of senior police officers saw allegations of corruption featuring prominently as a major issue affecting their services.

Those who appeared for vetting were challenged to explain why corruption was rampant in the service and in particular, the Traffic Department.

While some blamed lack of or poor leadership in the service, others cited poor pay, poor enforcement of laws and lack of supervision as the main causes of continued corruption in the service.

Two senior officers appeared before the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) panel that is vetting them. Some officers were accused of having been bought matatus by cartels to allow corrupt deals on the roads.

The panel members were of the view that corruption on roads involving traffic police is a major contribution to accidents in the country.

It also emerged that some officers still own matatus, contrary to the law. Those with the public service vehicles on the road were advised to sell them.

Those vetted included Levin Mwandi (Disaster Operations), Beatrice Nduta (Community Policing), Leo Nyongesa (Internal Affairs Unit), Benson Kibue (Nairobi County) and Julius Kanampiu (Inspector General’s office).

The vetting process is the first of its kind and is aimed at checking the suitability of the officers in service.

Levin Mwandi

He was challenged to explain the source of Sh1.6 million that he used to buy a house in Rubia estate in Nairobi and he said he took a loan. Further, he said he sold a piece of land in Malili to get Sh1.2 million that showed up in his bank account.

He also said he has two plots in Kitengela valued at Sh7 million. Mr Mwandi has in the past served as the PPO for Rift Valley and Head of Firearms Section.

He said private guards can be issued with guns as long as there is strict supervision.

Beatrice Nduta

She was challenged to explain why she opened a personal letter addressed to her former boss and now Nairobi Police Boss, Moses Ombati. She was then the deputy commandant of Kenya Airports Police.

Nduta, 59, said her relationship with Mr Ombati was bad until the time he was moved.

She blamed senior officers for failure to adopt and use the community policing concept despite having been trained.

“It is only Lari and Kikuyu police stations that have managed to drive this concept. We have trained all these commanders but we cannot see any change,” she said. She suggested that strict supervision would help drive the agenda.

She was also challenged to explain the source of her money other than Sh105,000 that she gets from her houses in Utawala, Nairobi.

Her declaration forms showed between 2010 and 2012, she had an income of Sh3.5 million against liabilities valued at Sh13.1 million.

Leo Nyongesa

He was also challenged to explain the source of his money and insisted his wife is a businesswoman who is in charge of their business.

“I am not a poor man, having worked since 1977, and I was on peace keeping missions for two years where I earned Sh400,000 a month,” he said, adding he owned a matatu that was managed by his wife but later advised other officers with similar vehicles to sell them. This was after it emerged that he had banked Sh1.2 million between January and March 2012.

He said part of the money, Sh900,000, was from the sale of a house he owned in Kayole. He admitted corruption is rampant in the service and that he has been investigating a number of complaints from the public and police.

Benson Kibue

He was challenged to explain what he has done to correct traffic mess in the city given he is a former traffic commandant and he said that as traffic boss, he managed to punish 10 officers over corruption related issues.

“They were just fined and none was sacked. That is what the law says. Unless the law is changed it remains so,” he said.

Mr Kibue said investigations into an incident in which a human head was delivered to the commission office last year are ongoing.

The vetting of the 23 deputy commissioners of police will continue to Saturday, before that of 66 senior assistant commissioners of police and 115 assistant commissioners of police can start.

Alfred Ombaba (Western province) and Fredrick Mulandi have opted not to be vetted, the commission said.