Two women pretending to be police arrested in Kakamega

Two women were on Friday apprehended by EACC for impersonating law enforcement officers and extorting money from traders in Kakamega. The commission arrested the two after they demanded a bribe of Ksh50,000 from a trader in order to return goods they had impounded from his supermarket in Khayega shopping center, Shinyalu constituency, Kakamega county.

The suspects who identified themselves as Ruth Kaimuri and Tabitha Kwenda Wangeci gave their identification details to the commission.

“The suspects, who did not have identification documents, gave their names as Ruth Kaimuri of ID. No. 22629177 and Tabitha Kwena Wangeci of ID No. 23918903,” EACC said.

The commission said the two were operating under a private entity known as multi-Agency work and rights enforcement which represented itself to the public.
“It has reportedly been presenting itself to the public as a law enforcement body, and undertaking various law enforcement functions, including criminal investigations, arrests, inspection of stock in shops to verify compliance with standards and expiry dates, business operating licenses, and tax compliance by traders,” EACC stated.

Ruth Kaimuri and Tabitha Kwena are reported to have been confiscating bribes from businesses and demanding bribes ranging from Ksh20,000 to 50,000 per trader in order to release the goods they impound. They also ‘waive’ purported criminal charges against the traders. Upon receipt of the complaint, EACC Bungoma detectives conducted an operation that led to the arrests of the suspects while they were receiving the money from the complainant .

“Prior to this intervention,the suspects had “arrested” the supermarket attendant and impounded goods,” EACC charged.
The two were taken to Khayega police station where they are currently detained. However, the commission has noted an increase of such cases in western Kenya appealing to any person who may have been a victim to promptly report the matter to the nearest EACC office, huduma service Desk or nearest police station.
Additionally, the commission explained that many Kenyans especially senior government officials have fallen into impersonators trap extorting them huge amounts of money. “It is regrettable that many Kenyans, including senior government officials, have fallen prey to impersonators who have extorted huge amounts of money from them partly due to the readiness of the victims to bribe their way out of perceived trouble, including corruption allegations,” EACC said.