Kenya police on spot over 25m shillings heist in Nairobi
By HUDSON GUMBIHI
THE heist involving police and security guards to defraud millions of cash-on-transit has once again exposed complicity within local security agencies.
Kenyans wherever they are, have always cast aspersions on the professionalism of police officers charged with the responsibility of protecting their lives and property. Over the years, there exist a widely held view that police officers are corrupt, complacency and partake in criminality.
The public suspicion and cynicism was laid bare this week when a series of mouth-watering events after the Shs 33 million robbery at the imposing Yaya centre in the outskirts of Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya.
By the end of the week long movie-like theatrics as police paced up and down to capture the perpetrators, ten officers had been arrested and implicated in the theft. A woman officer was also being pursued in connection with the Wednesday robbery, which interesting, coincided with almost a similar one in Stockholm, Sweden.
Guards collude with police in Nairobi
In both incidences, the cash in question was under the custody of international G4S – a private security firm that transports cash and valuables between businesses, banks and ATM. The firm provides security guards to individuals, businesses, governments and sporting events.
Other responsibilities G4S engages in include; installation and maintaining security equipments, providing security consultancy and training to help people reduce their risk. As G4S guards colluded with police in Nairobi to steal the millions, in Stockholm, robbers used a helicopter in a spectacular raid of a cash depot.
The twin raids have dented the reputation of the fast growing security solution provider. But a senior officer at G4S maintained that everything was under control despite various complaints to Luvei Times from junior employees that the heist was just the tip of the iceberg – cases of employees stealing items on transit are numerous but are rarely reported.
The employees speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of being victimized, claimed theft of cash and valuables was an ordinary practice in the firm. Allegations of workers hacking into luggage from overseas to steal electronics and treasured items were abound, but we could not either authentic or verify the claims since relevant authorities were unavailable for comment.
“This firm takes care of so many parcels shipped from the USA and Europe. But some of them never reach the owners, they are simply stolen and sold off by some of us. This is common and what happened at Yaya centre is not extra-ordinary,” said a security guard.
Public debate
However the main focus in the incidence remain the police. The raid has generated so much public debate and interest, with lingering questions from the citizenry whether they are safe in the hands of police even as police commissioner Mathew Iteere gave assurances.
The big number of officers involved in the choreographed heist, has send shivers down the spines of many. The incident captured headline news even in most remote parts of the country where locals have persistently complained of police collaboration with criminals.
There have been various claims to the effect that the constant insecurity is being perpetuated by police themselves. But as usual, they have denied through their spokesman Eric Kiraithe. Along the porous border and official entry points, police and immigration officials have been linked to human trafficking syndicates, which aid foreigners to acquire Kenyan citizenship before the aliens turning into criminal life at the detriment of locals.
In the Wednesday heist there have been claims of sabotage, some general duty officers have been frustrating their counterparts attached to an elite investigation unit leading the recovery efforts. However director of police operations Julius Ndegwa downplayed any divisions in the Force saying concerted efforts had been made and those behind would be prosecuted for their criminal acts.
The robbery was at the same time a reality check for PC Iteere who assumed officer about a fortnight ago after being appointed commissioner of police. His predecessor retired Major General Mohammed Hussein Ali presided over a regime of less such embarrassing thefts.
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