AP officer freed from custody by colleagues re-arrested, flown to Nairobi

A police officer who was freed from police custody in Mandera by his colleagues in a dramatic raid has been re-arrested and flown to Nairobi.

Authorities said the 14 officers who raided Mandera Police Station to free the officer have been moved to Nairobi where they are expected to face justice.

On Thursday night, under the cover of darkness, 14 Administration Police officers stormed Mandera Police Station, the county police headquarters in Mandera town and freed Corporal Richard Githaka Karanja.

A team was sent to Mandera and arrested Karanja before flying with him to Nairobi. Another team from the Rapid Deployment Unit was sent on Friday night to replace the 14 colleagues who were involved in the raid.

“Action will be taken in the end. That was uncalled for and cannot go unpunished,” said one senior officer aware of the plans.

Karanja had been arrested in connection with a robbery at a petrol station that left a guard dead and at least Sh700, 000 stolen last week.

The officers, attached to the Rapid Deployment Unit in Mandera Kapendo Camp went to the station on foot in full combat gear and stormed there before firing in the air and demanded the release of their colleague.

 The officers forcefully demanded the key from the cell's sentry while pointing a G3 rifle gun at him

The officer manning the report desk heeded the order and handed over the key and they opened the male cell and released Karanja who was to be arraigned on Friday to face charges of robbery with violence.

The other 11 suspects remained in custody.

After they freed him, the officers fired several rounds in the air and left on foot towards their camp, which is about five kilometres from the police station.

Karanja was arrested and locked up over the robbery after a witness reported seeing at least seven armed men in police uniform at the petrol station.

The top security team in Mandera held a crisis to discuss the incident at the county police headquarters.