Police officer smuggled Covid-19 patient out of Nairobi

The man who succumbed to Covid-19 in Bomet County was helped by a police officer to bypass security checks along the highways, it has emerged.

The Saturday Standard has established that the 55-year-old man who travelled from Nairobi to Longisa Hospital in Bomet County was helped by a police officer to beat the Government restrictions.

The police officer based at Lang'ata Police Station is a relative to the deceased and has since been put into quarantine at Mbagathi Kenya Medical College.

Yesterday, Bomet County Commissioner Geoffrey Omonding refuted claims that the man had been ferried to Nairobi in a police car.

“The officer who transported the deceased was dressed in police uniform and staff at the hospital thought he was using our car that was park outside after dropping a victim of an accident,” he said.

Omonding said they have since established that he hired a saloon car to ferry the deceased to Bomet after obtaining clearance from the hospital in Nairobi.

“We know the officer used a letter from the clinic claiming he was referring a sick person to a hospital in Bomet,” said Omonding.

He said investigations are ongoing and disciplinary action will be taken against the officer.

Meanwhile, the Kenya Defence Forces soldier suspected to have coronavirus who travelled from Mombasa was put into quarantine after falling ill at his Ndanai home in Sotik.

Bomet Executive for health Joseph Sitonik said samples of the soldier has been taken to Kemri to ascertain the truth. Sitonik said the soldier was rushed to Ndanai sub County Hospital with a high fever and Covid-19 like symptoms.

“We took action immediately and isolated the soldier who admitted to have travelled from Mombasa to Nairobi and Bomet. We are waiting for the results today,” said Sitonik.

Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok has decried how officers are misusing their privileges for personal gain.

“We are concerned how essential service providers are misusing their powers thereby compromising safety of other people,” said Barchok.

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Covid-19