Man found with army uniform, equipment arrested

Police officers in Nakuru have arrested a man allegedly found with an assortment of military wear and equipment at a house in Miroreni area of Lanet.

Divisional Criminal Investigation Officer (DCIO) James Lelia said officers raided the house of the suspect at 5am yesterday and found the items locked up in a store.

The officers recovered three mattresses, a five-litre jerrycan of rifle cleaning oil, a dozen military uniforms as well as jackets and pullovers, four sleeping bags, seven blankets, a gas cylinder and a G-clamp, all with military identification marks.

They also seized five chains, a paint spraying machine, a mortar, a military vehicle pressure pipe, plastic tables, bedsheets, tool boxes and 11 grinders.

Mr Lelia said the officers were pursuing investigations of the recent highway robbery linked to a traffic police officer in the area, only to bump into the Government property belonging to Lanet Military Defence camp.

"Police officers were investigating a recent robbery incident that involved a traffic police officer, but unfortunately they found military goods during a search," said Lelia.

Peter Gachie Matiru, a traffic police officer attached to Nakuru Central Police Station, has already been charged with robbery with violence after he was linked to the theft of a truck and property worth Sh69 million along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway on July 15.

Mr Matiru is accused of stealing, among other things, a Sh9 million lorry which was transporting 1,994 computers worth Sh15.7 million and 1,438 mobile phones worth Sh35 million.

Lelia said during the investigation of the robbery, officers requested a communication service provider to assist them with the call record data of the officer who was found to be a close associate of the suspect.

In the course of probe, Lelia said, the detectives learnt that the man arrested yesterday assisted in offloading the stolen goods, although no item was recovered in the house.

"The communication firm provided call records that established the suspect (name withheld) is a close associate of the officer. He had also communicated with the traffic officer's brothers who are also linked to the robbery," he said.