Policeman caught on camera allegedly collecting bribes from motorists suspended

A traffic police officer who was filmed allegedly collecting bribes from public service vehicles (PSVs) in Nairobi's Buru Buru area has been suspended.

In a statement on Friday, the National Police Service (NPS) said it had initiated disciplinary proceedings to dismiss the officer from the service. 

This came after a viral video went viral showing the officer apparently accepting what appeared to be bribes from several vehicles plying the route.

The officer, identified as Police Constable Haron Mwangi from Buru Buru Police Station, can be seen in the video clip collecting bribes from at least six matatus while directing traffic in the B Centre area of Umoja.

"The officer attached to Traffic at Buru buru Police Station No 63151 PC Haron Mwangi has been suspended from the Traffic Police Unit with immediate effect and proceedings for his dismissal are ongoing," NPS said in a statement on Friday.

"The National Police Service takes this opportunity to commend members of the public and the press for their continued cooperation with NPS in the fight against corruption."

The NPS further stressed that it will not relent in its constitutional mandate to fight corruption within the police force and commended members of the public and members of the press for their continued cooperation with the service in the fight against corruption.

The sacking comes just a day after Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome said corruption on Kenya's roads was nothing new and defended his officers, telling them they shouldn't be intimidated and should do their jobs.

"I tell my officers to work and they have clear instructions to work. They should not be intimidated that they are the most corrupt in the country," he said.

On Tuesday, Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen rejected claims that his officers were to blame for the rising number of road accidents that have claimed hundreds of lives in the past three months.

He said all Kenyans had a responsibility to obey traffic rules and urged the public to consider their role in preventing the accidents.

"It must be everyone's concern. It's sad that in the last three months alone, 470 pedestrians, 105 passengers and 300 drivers have died because of recklessness on our roads," he said.

 Instead, Murkomen urged the public to direct their anger at the traffic police and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), both of which are responsible for road safety.

"So many people are obsessed with the Transport Cabinet Secretary that every time something happens, they ask where the minister is. People even get into an overloaded vehicle and they take videos and pictures and ask, where is Murkomen? He has failed. Murkomen has failed," CS Murkomen wondered.

According to the latest NTSA data, at least 1,213 people have died on the roads in the last three months.

Pedestrians accounted for the highest number of deaths with 445, followed by motorcyclists with 285 and passengers with 259.

According to the data collected between 1 January and 3 April, pillion passengers (motorcyclists) came fourth with 103 deaths, followed by drivers (99) and cyclists (24).

The fatalities represent a 5.8 per cent increase from 1,146 in the same period last year.

More than 4,300 people were killed in road crashes last year, while the rest of the 22,885 people involved in accidents were left with life-changing injuries.