Police have arrested an officer in Samburu County for illegally trafficking nine Ethiopian nationals into Kenya.
While conducting a routine patrol, officers in Samburu County received a tip-off about a vehicle transporting illegal immigrants from the Logorate area toward the known smuggling route, Kwa Lenges Panya. As the vehicle approached the main road junction, the officers identified it and attempted to intercept it.
The driver ignored police orders and tried to flee, driving erratically toward the main road. In response, officers fired warning shots to disable the vehicle. One of the shots hit the right rear wheel, deflating it and forcing the driver to stop.
Police ordered the driver to surrender the ignition key, but instead, the driver exited the vehicle holding a machete and threatened to harm the officers. This prompted the officers to call for reinforcements.
The Officer Commanding Station (OCS), accompanied by his deputy, quickly arrived at the scene to provide backup. Upon arrival, they found the driver still holding the machete and leaning against the vehicle. After a tense standoff, the officers successfully disarmed and arrested the driver.
A search revealed the driver was carrying a police ID card, two mobile phones, a bundle of assorted keys, and items believed to be Kuber (nicotine pouches). The officer was taken into custody, and the vehicle was secured by the police.
Police later determined that the vehicle had been transporting illegal immigrants and had likely dropped them off before attempting to flee. The officers then returned to Logorate Hill, where they suspected the immigrants had been abandoned.
Upon reaching the hill, the officers turned off their vehicle’s lights and sounded the horn. Believing the vehicle had returned to pick them up, the group emerged from the thicket and approached the officers.
The officers quickly apprehended the group of nine, consisting of eight males, one female, and two minors.
During questioning, the Ethiopian nationals revealed that the driver had dropped them off and left them stranded on the hill. Further investigation showed that none of the group members had valid documentation.
The nine individuals were arrested for being unlawfully in Kenya and will face charges related to immigration violations and illegal entry into the country.
