Bodaboda operators in Eldoret on Wednesday afternoon engaged police officers in running battles following allegations that an officer had stolen a motorbike from one of them on Tuesday morning.
The confrontation began when the motorbike riders under the Tuiyo Bodaboda Association stormed the Eldoret Central police station demanding for the stolen bike and arrest and prosecution of the suspected officer.
According to the Sacco members who majorly operate within Langas along the Eldoret-Kapsabet highway a police officer only known as Ndung’u and another officer disguised as passengers before they robbed one Onesmus Murigu his newly acquired motorbike.
Police officers were forced to lob teargas canisters to disperse the angry riders that were moving in a convoy and hooting in protest against the involvement of police officers in criminal activities.
“The officers asked our counterpart to take them to different places for patrol at around 10.00 am on Tuesday but turned against him after they arrived in Kipkaren and disappeared with his motorbike. After moving across several police stations other officers denied knowing the suspects we described but the victim was able to identify him at Langas police station," said Namuel Rotich the sacco's chairperson.
Murigu who lost his motorbike said two police officers approached him in annex area and asked him if he would be comfortable moving around with them as they enforced the law and he accepted not knowing that they had a contrary plan to rob from him.
“After agreeing the amount they would pay for the distance covered and time taken, we left Annex for Central Police station but in the middle of the journey they asked that we go to Langas and Kipkaren. After soliciting bribes from several illicit brew dens in Kipkaren one officer asked me to lend him the helmet and allow him to ride the motorbike so that the targeted individual would not notice him," said Murigu.
He added that: "After a few minutes he came back and told his colleague that had been left behind with me that he had identified the target and he should accompany him. I was uncomfortable and protested against them going with my motorbike but they threatened me saying that I should be patient they would return the bike."
According to Murigu, after 20 minutes of waiting he sensed that he might have been conned his motorbike and called his colleagues to help him trace the asset his father had purchased for him last month.
Langas OCPD Esther Muhoro confirmed the incident and assured the bodaboda operators that they had commenced investigations to establish the officer's involvement in criminal activities.
“We have began investigations and if we find him to be truly linked he will face the law like other citizens. We will conduct an identification parade to help get the identity of the officer and his accomplice because we heard they had a firearm and handcuffs," said Muhoro on Tuesday.
Rotich said embarked on protests on Wednesday after they found Langas OCPD out of office and unavailable to conduct the identification parade as she had promised the previous day.
“The police at Central police station were hostile and lobbed teargas canisters to disperse us but we were able to confirm the suspect was in custody, we will follow up the matter until justice is fully administered and our colleague gets back his motorbike," Rotich said.