Murang'a police officer in trouble for violently demanding favours in a bar

A male police officer in Murang'a County is under investigations after he was accused of threatening to shoot dead a fellow customer who refused to buy him alcohol or lend him Sh200.

The officer is recorded in the complaint OB: 42/12/01/2025 at Murang'a Police Station to have made the threats in a bar where they were watching an FA Cup match between Arsenal and Manchester United--where Man U emerged the unlikely winner with 10 men in the field.

The officer is recorded as a Manchester United supporter while the complainant is indicated as Arsenal fan.

"At around 7:30pm the armed officer dressed in civilians approached one of the customers and demanded a beer or Sh200. After the offer was turned down, he turned hostile threatening to shoot dead or arrest the complainant. He started saying the customer had spoken ill of him," the incident report reads in part.

Murang'a East sub-County Police Boss Mary Wakuu told us on Sunday that it is true the incident was reported.

"The report was first made by a phone call and later officially recorded at the police station as per procedure. The case will be accorded an investigating officer for further action," she said.

She said the suspect officer serves in Mumbi Police Patrol Base and had ventured outside his jurisdiction to patronize in a local bar.

The matter was further booked as bar brawl involving a police officer incident ref MUR:5287065 as well as CCTV footage ref: MUR: 2448736.

Ms Wakuu said that Township Police Boss in charge of Murang'a Police Station John Tarus has since been made aware of the incident with an order issued to fast-track findings into the circumstances.

"Once an incident is officially booked, it follows the process of allocating it an investigating officer who proceeds to establish the facts before escalating it to arrest, recording of statement and charging in court," she said.

When we visited Central Bar where the incident occurred, an eye witnesses told of a brawl that lasted about two minutes inside the bar and a further five(5) minutes outside the premises.

"The officer looked very upset and agitated. He was in the company of two other officers who were not buying him a drink. One of the officers was trying to restrain him from engaging in the alteration," one of the witnesses who identified herself as Monalisa said.

She added that the complainant was protesting about being demanded to finance lifestyle of a broke security officer while he too was struggling to make ends meet.

"That officer is well known for walking around displaying the bulge of government pistol on his waist. He occasionally uses it to court women where he allows them to hold it and make a mock firing. He mostly visits bars to solicit favours from other patrons as well as win women," said another customer who said had known him for the past three(3) years.

Cases of police officers going into bars while armed and making favour demands to other patrons have been on the rise in the county.

A police constable attached to Kambi Police Patrol Base in Kigumo constituency was alleged to have broken both hands of a fellow patron in a bar in a Sh70 alcoholic drink row.

The male officer was reported to have demanded a Christmas favour from his fellow customer but after the demand was turned down, he waylaid the man in the darkness and assaulted him.

"The incident is Pending Under Investigations (PUI). All the involved parties have recorded statements," he said.

Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu had in December warned security officers against harassing residents demanding festive season favours.

"Murang'a is a county that has recorder several incidents of security officers demanding to be treated to favours especially in bars. I want to make a humble plea that as salaried government employees paid through our taxes, you consider yourselves as privileged and cease being a burden to our people," he said.

Mr Nyutu said there are prominent complaints of police officers who move from bar to bar demanding free alcohol and cigarettes while others demand bribes.

"We will engage the relevant authorities to find a way of dealing firmly with such uncouth behaviour among our security members. A government cannot be such a burden to the people. The few officers who have adopted that tick behaviour of sucking blood from the economically struggling residents must be neutered," he said.