TRAFFIC DPT SHOULD BE DISBANDED. A senior traffic policeman in Nairobi was depositing an average of Sh300,000 every day in his bank account at the height of a crackdown on public service vehicles conducted in June, the Sunday Nation can reveal. The officer was identified and investigated by matatu industry players who reported the matter to Inspector-General David Kimaiyo. The officer is one in thousands of rogue policemen in Nairobi and other towns who are minting hundreds of millions of shillings every month in a syndicate through which PSV operators pay “protection” fees so that their vehicles can operate without being impounded. The syndicate involves leaders of various matatu Saccos who collect the money from their members and pass it on to the policemen. As a result, unserviceable and unroadworthy vehicles as well as those carrying excess passengers and goods are allowed to operate freely while those speeding are ushered through police roadblocks, often with disastrous consequences. “The money moves up the chain of command rapidly and officers who prove uncooperative are transferred,” said a regular officer familiar with the syndicate. In this case, the constables at the road will keep “something” for their immediate boss, who will pass on some amount to the local traffic commander all the way to the bosses. Junior officers are often sent to deliver the money in cash. Our investigations also revealed that police officers have perfected the art of laundering the bribes by opening businesses for their wives, relatives, mistresses or concubines or perpetually engaging in projects like construction so that the money is converted into property. One officer in the rank of an inspector was said to be pocketing in excess of Sh500,000 a month in bribes. Players in the matatu industry have held meetings at offices no less than that of Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and the Inspector-General of Police to try and tackle the issues bedevilling the sector. For example, the police boss, Mr Kimaiyo, chaired a meeting between his officers and top officials of the matatu industry in his office on the evening of June 20 over the public service transport sector crisis. Mr Kimaiyo was told that his officers were demanding Sh5,000 in bribes instead of taking errant drivers to court to face Sh20,000 fines.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Sep 2013 08:38:24 +0000
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