Pupils arrested after returning from lunch break while drunk

Two primary school learners were on Friday arrested after they reported to school while drunk and disorderly.

The Chepkoilel Primary School pupils are being held at Sango Police Patrol Base in Saboti sub-County after they were arrested while intoxicated after the lunch break.

According to the police, the Standard Six and Seven pupils were among several boys and girls who displayed disorderliness before teachers discovered that they were drunk.

However, several of the disorderly pupils took off to avoid arrest, according to a police officer investigating the matter.

The school management reported the matter to Kinyoro chief Rose Chebet who led the police to the school where the arrests were made.

The two pupils who were arrested led the officers to a chang'aa den 600 metres away from the school.

A woman suspected to have sold liqour and bhang to the pupils was arrested and is being questioned by the police.

During the raid, officers seized 400 rolls of bhang and chang'aa.

"We received information from the school that some of the pupils were drunk and disorderly.

"After we arrested the pupils, they led us to the place they had bought alcohol and bhang," the police said.

The police were still pursuing more minors suspected to have taken the alcohol and smoked bhang.

The arrested leaners admitted that they had drunk the illicit brew and smoked bhang at the woman's home.

One of them also reportedly confessed to the police that he stole some money from his parents to buy the substances.

"We are pursuing other pupils involved in the abuse of alcohol and drugs and the two boys and the woman would be arraigned," the police said.

Trans Nzoia county commissioner Sammy Ojwang said he was disturbed by the incident.

He asked the police to mount a crackdown on individuals selling illegal drugs and alcohol to school children.

"This is an unfortunate incident," said Ojwang.

"We are not going to tolerate people selling illegal substances and alcohol to pupils and high school students." 

He ordered for the demolition of structures near schools, saying some were chang'aa dens.