Police in silent probe on its gun licensing unit

By HUDSON GUMBIHI

 

A quiet operation in the unit that gives out gun licences has been going on since The Nairobian broke a story of a ‘serial shooter’.

Last month, we revealed that a weird man has been firing a shot every Friday at different nightclubs — just for fun.

Perhaps driven to action by the man believed to be a licensed gun holder, the Police Service moved fast to smash a cartel that has infiltrated the Central Firearms Bureau.

An audit, which insiders say was aimed at getting rid of corruption cartels, has been completed. It is claimed Inspector General David Kimaiyo ordered the probe over reports that some gun dealers and gun holders had influenced issuance of licences – disregarding the laid down application procedure.

Some dealers, according to a source, were bribing some police officers with huge sums of money to get licences.

Holders evading the rigorous process of firearm acquisition have also been said to be bribing police officers.

According to insiders, Kimaiyo was worried licenced guns had landed in the wrong hands.

And it is likely the procedure in which the serial shooter got his firearm was probed.

In one of his escapades, the middle-aged man whose name we withhold, caused a stir in the parking lot outside a popular lounge on Ngong Road

He shot in the air and challenged anybody who did not like what he was doing to confront him.

 The man is said to be an extravagant spender in his drinking sprees and feels the need to show off his ‘shooting expertise’ just for fun whenever he is drunk.

Dagoretti police boss Mathew Gwiyo said he is aware the man is armed but denied knowledge of his dangerous conduct.

He challenged anyone with evidence against the shooter to call the Nairobi Control Room (020 – 3556771).

When asked about the probe at the Central Firearms Bureau, Kimaiyo said it was part of the ongoing police reforms, declining to elaborate while Chief Licensing Officer David Baya said it was a normal audit.