Crackdown launched to nab police imposters in Murang'a

The National Police Service (NPS) in Murang'a town has launched a crackdown against a team of police imposters being led by a male identifying himself as the Officer Commanding Station (OCS).

The platoon of about eight(8) fake officers is said to comprise two(2) females and six(6) males, sometimes openly brandishing firearms and cuffs believed to be accessed through serving officers who are accomplices.

The imposters are accused to be part of robberies targeting nightlife adventurers as well as random heists against mobile wallets cash transfer agents.

The cons are reported to be operating along busy streets of Murang'a and Makuyu towns, some also patrolling Murang'a-Kabuta-Sagana road in search of aliens and narcotics transport dealers for bribes.

According to Murang'a East sub-County Police Boss Ms Mary Wakuu, public complaints have escalated about the activities of the imposters.

"We are after the group...already we know some phone numbers that the said OCS is using. It does not match any number in use by my real OCS who is Mr Charles Wanyoike," she said.

The imposters are reported to be targeting mostly alcoholics and students from public university and a litany of tertiary institutions with a presence in the town.

Once they identify their targets, they immediately launch negotiations to buy freedom instead of subjecting them to arrest and transport to police cells.

On January 13, 2025, Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu decried rise of incidents where suspect patrols nab residents who are then demanded to buy their freedom at between Sh500 and Sh2,000.

"I have been informed severally about suspect patrols by people who do not have the mannerism of officers with integrity who after making arrests take the victims to dark alleys and demand money to set them free," he said.

Mr Nyutu added that "in other instances, a conspiracy plot sees the suspects arrested delivered to police stations past midnight hours and without getting booked officially, are told to mobilise raising of bribes to buy freedom".

Ms Wakuu called upon members of the public to be reporting any incident where they encounter officers who are in civilian attires with a leader introducing self as OCS.

"It is not likely that you will encounter my OCS patrolling dark streets while in civilian clothes and without an official vehicle...if you encounter such a team, report it to us," she said.

She said anytime the residents encounter patrols that has no officers in uniform and visible firearms especially rifles should be treated as suspect.

According to an investigative report that we have seen regarding the issue, the imposters are alleged to be drawn from various government departments.

The cons are reported to have identified several bars where they meet to share the loot with the broader network of accomplices.

"Ground intelligence alleges that some of the imposters are attached to Kenya Power, others attached to the judiciary, one from the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions and others from county government," the report reads in part.

It adds that "another allegation is that some officers serving within the Township ward are accomplices to this gang".

More damning is that one of the discreet vehicles attached to a department within the NPS is sometimes seen being driven by some of the imposters.

"It is believed that the imposters are wired into the NPS where they get intelligence report regarding efforts to crackdown on them. They also run a street spy network to identify where to strike," the report states.

Mr Mathew Mwangi reports that he encountered the imposters on January 12, 2024.

"I had ran into an alteration with one officer inside a bar but I managed to escape arrest. But I later received a phone call from a man who introduced himself as the Murang'a OCS demanding to know where I was," he narrated.

Mr Mwangi added that the truecaller application on his phone indicated a different name from that of the recognised serving OCS.

"It happens that I know the OCS and I have his number. The name and the number that were calling me were not his...I reported the matter vide OB No. 42 of January 12, 2025," he said.

Ms Wakuu acknowledged knowledge of the complaint adding that "investigations about the number whose caller allegedly  introduced self as OCS are ongoing and soon we will turn him in".

She said that the matter is being taken seriously and is being investigated with a lot of seriousness.

"We want to issue a direct warning to all those in the conspiracy that their days are numbered. We have put in place a network of multi agency cooperation complete with input by community policing and soon we will annihilate this gang," she said.

Ms Wakuu said "there is no difference between a uniformed and a civilian thug...all are criminals to be dealt with firmly as per the rule of law"