Kenya Police ‘Shoot to Free Bribe Suspects’ in Nairobi

Kenyan police have fired warning shots at anti-corruption officers to help two colleagues accused of bribery to escape from detention, Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) said.

The detained officers were being investigated for allegedly demanding a bribe from a foreigner, EACC added.

The anti-graft body said the suspects were caught in a sting operation.

Undercover investigators offered the two police officers 100,000 Kenyan shillings ($975; £760), it added.

Police have not yet commented on the allegations.

The two suspects, who work for the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, were arrested in the capital, Nairobi, on Wednesday evening.

The officers had been handcuffed “but were rescued by their colleagues from Kabete Police Station who fired several rounds of ammunition as warning shots to facilitate the escape”, the EACC added on its Twitter account.

A manhunt has been launched for the suspects, it said.

The events have fascinated Kenyans, many of whom are sharing their shock and disappointment on social media:

Literally all I can think of now. pic.twitter.com/sKyisxrpXZ

— Koome Gitobu (@KoomeGitobu) November 29, 2018

Kenya cannot continue this way, cowboy thuggery within the forces????? Not the first time either! @UKenyatta

— Benji Ndolo (@BenjiNdolo) November 28, 2018

One person joked on Twitter that “prayers may come in handy at this point. And bible study”:

Prayers may come in handy at this point. And bible study.

— Martin Tairo (@mmtairo) November 29, 2018

That seems like a swipe at the anti-corruption commission, which announced last month that it intends to use the Bible to deter theft of public funds.

Source: BBC