Police searching for matatu driver who assaulted officer

Traffic police officer Isa Yionti, who was attacked by a matatu driver in Nakuru town yesterday. The driver escaped after the incident [PHOTO: BONIFACE THUKU/STANDARD]

By MERCY KAHENDA

A police officer in Nakuru is nursing serious injuries after he was assaulted by a matatu driver while on duty at Gate House roundabout along the Nakuru-Nairobi highway.

The officer, Isa Yionti, had stopped the vehicle that was transporting passengers from Nakuru to Nairobi for a normal traffic check when he was attacked. According to Nakuru OCPD Bernard Kioko, the vehicle was found to be unroadworthy after inspection. It had expired insurance, excess passengers and lacked Transport Licensing Board documents.

Kioko said the traffic officer got into the vehicle and directed the driver to drive to Nakuru Central Police Station but he disobeyed.

Instead of heading to the station, he drove towards Eldoret and a chase ensued between the vehicle the officer was in and another motorist.

“The motorist hit the left side of the vehicle where the police officer was seated with the intention of harming him. The driver later stopped the vehicle, alighted from the matatu, picked up stones along the road and begun beating the officer,” said Kioko.

He said the officer sustained serious injuries on his right arm, shoulders, legs, fingers and back before he was rescued by the public. The driver later fled the scene and left the vehicle with passengers.

Kioko condemned the incident saying traffic officers are authorised to control movement of vehicles.