Police disband all roadblocks, checks
Roadblocks and static police checks have been banned across the country following reports that some rogue officers were using such points to extort bribes.
National Police Service (NPS) headquarters has also directed all complaints by motorists be investigated promptly for appropriate action to be taken against the traffic police officers.
Following a meeting by the Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai, Deputy Inspector General of Police Edward Mbugua and Traffic commandant Mary Omari, it was noted that despite other measures having been put in place, corruption was still rampant especially among the traffic officers.
Collecting bribes
It was revealed that the number of complaints continued increasing, and last week Ainabkoi Traffic sub-base was disbanded for continued laying of roadblock, detaining vehicles for long hours without cause and complaints of collecting bribes from motorists with impunity despite earlier directives issued for traffic management.
All County Police Commanders will now be directly responsible for close supervision of traffic management in their jurisdictions and also in ensuring that no motor vehicles are detained along the roads for long hours and that bribes are not taken from motorists.
“Every commander to ensure that there are no roadblocks, no static traffic checks, no detaining of motor vehicles along the road for long hours, and no taking of bribes from motorists with impunity,” the directive read.
It added: “Should complaints be raised by members of the public on the above four items, investigations will be conducted to avoid victimisation.
However, when an element of truth will be established, stiff action be taken against the individual errant officer but the whole sub base will be disbanded.”
The Police spokesman Bruno Shioso though admitting that corruption was rampant, yesterday said some of these cases were exacerbated by motorists seeking to violate traffic rules such as overlapping in traffic and evading arrest leading to an ingrained culture of impunity.
“Ingenious traffic violators opt to induce the officer to look the other way. Unfortunately, this behavior has become a syndicated road culture that affords a road villain the undeserved freedom to once more offend,” he wrote.
Shioso however added that such ugly nuisances do not negate the overall and divine objective of the traffic cop on the roads.
“Without their presence, we are doomed. We simply can’t and won’t move and this is the fact,” he said.
Traffic offenders
Police headquarters had also earlier directed that minor traffic offenders should not be forced to pay cash bail or put in custody unnecessarily.
Offenders should be issued with the Notices To Attend Court (NTAC) or summons.
Any cash bail collected should also be availed to court or refunded to the suspect in a timely and expeditious manner.
The directives seek to fastrack traffic cases and decongest the cells. Reports indicate that police officers insist on cash bail whenever they arrest offenders and those who could not raise the money ended up in custody, congesting cells.
Other motorists say they resort to bribery or pleaded guilty even to offences they did not commit to avoid lengthy trial.
Officers have also been directed to focus on more serious traffic offences instead of harassing minor offenders.
