Nakuru County Police Commander Bernard Koki was forced to intervene and release several Kenyans including two minors locked at the Naivasha Police Station on terror related allegations.
The suspects who were traveling on a bus headed to Nairobi from Western Kenya were locked up by officers from the Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) under unclear circumstances.
There was a fall-out between officers from ATPU and regular officers after they differed over the fate of the passengers who were arrested on Sunday night.
The passengers were arrested by ATPU officers on patrol on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway for failing to produce their national identification cards.
Highway arrests
During the crackdown, three Congolese nationals were also arrested on the highway and taken to the police station.
A source who declined to be named said trouble started after the officers whisked the 14 from the bus and ordered they be locked in and prosecuted.
"The 14 Kenyans who included two girls aged below 18 years were locked by the ATPU officers in the cells despite having other identification documents," said the source.
But on learning of the incident, the police commander directed they be set free terming the incident as unfortunate.
He was, however, quick to add that the three Congolese arrested during the crackdown would be arraigned in court and charged with being in the county illegally.
"The 14 were arrested for lack of identification documents and they have since been released after they were scrutinised," he said.
Naivasha homicide
Meanwhile, police in Naivasha are holding two suspects in connection with the murder of a motorcycle operator on Sunday night.
The operator was heading home when he was allegedly attacked by the two who killed and buried him in sand caves at Mwiciringiri area in the lake side town.
According to a witness identified only as Maina, the two suspects escaped with the motorcycle but residents raised the alarm leading to their arrest.
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A senior police officer who sought anonymity said the suspects will be arraigned in court to face murder charges.
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