CID boss orders probe into contraband sugar row

By CYRUS OMBATI

A senior CID officer has been dispatched to Isiolo to quell a row between junior officers and their seniors over contraband sugar impounded while on transit from Somalia.

Five junior CID officers had impounded a lorry with more than 400 bags of contraband sugar when some of their seniors ordered them to release it.

The incident happened 3km from Isiolo on Saturday at a roadblock.

According to police, the CID officers had been tipped off about the two lorries carrying contraband goods from Somalia before they mounted the check.

"We had been informed that apart from sugar, one of the lorries had ammunition wrapped in a sack. We managed to stop the one that had sugar," said an officer who asked not to be named.

As the officers inspected the lorry whose registration number we have, they received a call from their seniors asking to know why they had not informed them of the operation.

Apparently, the driver had called one of the senior officers and informed him that the juniors were "harassing" him.

The driver then refused to drive the lorry to the local police station for inspection by Customs officials.

A few minutes later, two senior officers drove to the scene of the confrontation causing more confusion. They then ordered the juniors off the lorry and pulled them aside for "questioning".

The driver of the lorry sped away from the scene and vanished with the goods and his whereabouts are not known. CID director, Ndegwa Muhoro has ordered a full investigation into the incident.

Eastern deputy CID officer Richard Katola arrived in the town on Saturday and questioned all the officers involved in the incident.

Outgoing Eastern PCIO Samuel Nyabengi also said investigation into the incident has been launched.

The officers have recorded statements in connection with the drama. Other officers serving in the area revealed several contraband goods pass through the route to Nairobi and other parts of the country.