Police: We’ll not share lorry with inmates

Police officers in Eastern load impounded motorcycles on an awaiting police truck. Their Western counterparts have complained about using the same truck with inmates. [File, Standard]

Police officers from Port Victoria, Sio Port and Bumala stations are unhappy with a new directive that they use same lorry with suspects.

The directive, by Police Commander Wambua Katithi came into effect on Monday.

Angry officers who sought anonymity protested that they were being undermined by their boss.

Initially the police used their land cruisers based at their respective stations to ferry the suspects to Busia Law courts.

However, one lorry is dispatched from Busia to collect the police and suspects from stations in Budalang’i, Funyula and Butula constituencies.

They are later forced to look for means of transport to take them back to their work stations.

“Once you arrive with the suspect in Busia that is the end of the story, you will have to look for ways of returning back to the station and the situation becomes complicated to those with firearms, “said the officers who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals.

“When you refuse you are told to go home. We were told that the directive is aimed at cutting costs. We are suffering as police officers,” they added.

Mr Katithi was unavailable for comment as calls went unanswered neither did he respond to text message.

Meanwhile a section of graduate police constables  have complained over alleged huge salary disparities between them and their colleagues with only secondary education certificates.

They have called for the intervention of the Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and the National Police Service Commission.

The officers claim they are currently receiving Sh19, 380 instead of Sh41, 000 monthly salary.

Elsewhere five students of Osieko Secondary school in Budalang’i were on Monday arraigned in court before Senior Resident Magistrate Martha Nanzushi after they were found with one litre of petrol.

They were granted cash bail of Sh100,000 or a bond of Sh500,000.