A traffic police officer attached to Athi River Police Station was on Wednesday roughed up by irate members of the public in Athi River town.

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The officer, who was in civilian wear, had gone to rescue a motorist, who had been, detained by the mob for close to three hours.

The mob threatened to lynch the motorist's pick up with registration number KBH 104 C belonging to Sosswa Plumbers and General Contractors before the officer arrived at the scene.

They dismissed him after he failed to produce his identification card to justify he is a policeman.

The situation worsened when he ordered the van that had been hit by the pick up from the driver's side to transport the children it was carrying during the incident to their respective homes.

“He is not a police officer, he is interfering with the accident scene with intent to help the motorist escape," said a mob member.

Wisdom Academy's Director, Naomi Atei, who was driving the school van during the time of incident said the motorist had trailed her close to a kilometre from the scene of accident for allegedly gaining entry into Athi River - Kitengela Road wrongfully at Nyambura Shopping centre.

"This man trailed me from Nyambura shopping centre immediately I accessed the main road, he hooted and I responded to indicate that I was sorry but kept following me," Atei explained.

Atei said the motorist kept trailing her even after she left the main road to go drop children at the Athi River's Makadara estate where he tried to overtake at the main entrance of Champions of Christ Church, hit her van from the driver's side and blocked her making children aboard scream.

  Two of the children jumped through the window to escape from danger.

Witnesses who saw the man assault the woman driver mobilized members of the public who blocked the road to prevent the motorist from escaping the scene demanding to know intentions of the motorist.

They demanded to know why the man trailed the school van for close to one kilometre, hitting it with his motor bike, ejecting the van's ignition keys while the engine was still running and slapping the driver.

Athi River Police Boss, Mutoro Kizito, was alerted by a member of the public on phone where he sent three uniformed police officers who saved the policeman and the motorist.

Both the vehicles were driven to Athi River Police Station as witnesses and drivers of the vehicles recorded their statements on the matter.