Police in Thika had a rough time for the better part of Wednesday afternoon trying to calm residents of Witeithie estate of Juja Sub-county blocked Thika superhighway on what they termed as corruption in the police department.
The police were forced to use tear gas to disperse the aggrieved mob whereby they were demonstrating over the release of a man who allegedly killed a middle-aged woman last night in the area.
The residents claimed that the diseased woman was killed by the man whom they claimed was her lover.
The man had previously been arrested by the police in the morning but later the residents discovered that he had been released.
The discovery prompted a demonstration against the alleged perpetrator who they said bribed the officers who let him go.
The residents wanted to air their grievances to the president as he passed along the road from the burial of former politician JJ Kamotho in Murang’a
Rose Wanjir, a protestor said that they wanted to air their grievances to the president directly.
“We want the president to know about the corruption going on in this area. The police are compromising security by letting criminals go free without being prosecuted. We are sure this man bribed his way out of the police cells which is very unfair to us as residents of this area and also to the family of the diseased.” Wanjiru said
Thika deputy OCPD Mary Kiarie while addressing the press from the area said that the residents must find better ways of communicating to the authorities other than closing down the busiest road in the country while there are easier and better ways of solving the problem.
She said that she will make sure that case is addressed from her office and the residents will note a change in the areas security especially in the festive season.
The police however remained at the scene till late even after the situation cooled down as the residents had sworn to continue with the demonstrations until justice and security is guaranteed by the peace keepers.