Rogue policeman arrested driving vehicle he stole in Nairobi West
A police officer who deserted duty and had two cases pending before court has been charged with theft of motor vehicle again.
The officer has, in less than four months, been charged three times in court even as he is being investigated for other criminal activities within Langata.
Constable James Githinji Nderitu was charged with stealing an Isuzu FSR registration number KCF 279B at Nairobi West shopping centre.
INVITED FOR A DRINK
The complainant, Mr Josphat Thuranira said that he met the officer on July 16 at Langata shopping centre and the officer invited him for a drink.
They went to Nairobi West shopping centre using the complainant’s vehicle and they parked it near Nairobi West Patrol Base.
The two then went to have lunch, but while at the hotel, the officer asked Mr Thuranira to give him the car keys so that he could go and get his jacket from the vehicle.
He never came back.
Mr Thuranira went to where he had parked the vehicle but found it missing.
TRACKING DEVICE
The tracking device located the vehicle at Konza. The following day at around 2am, the officer was arrested while driving the same vehicle along the Southern bypass.
Constable Nderitu was early last year transferred from Langata police station to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) where he deserted duty.
In May this year, he was arrested in Langata and charged with being in possession of fake currency at the Kibera Law Courts.
The case, CR number 170/94/2016, is still pending before court with the next hearing scheduled for September 12.
BOTCHED ROBBERY
Last month, another officer attached to Mandera Police Station but had deserted duty was arrested in Kibera following a botched robbery.
Constable Moses Musungu Buluma had, in the company of one of his gang members, attacked a businesswoman who was taking money to the Equity Bank, Kibera Branch.
Nairobi County police commander Japheth Koome said that Constable Buluma and another suspect who was later lynched, attacked Belinda Ondiko and robbed her of Sh490, 000.
The two snatched the bag and threatened to shoot her but the victim raised alarm. Members of the public cornered the two and one of them was beaten to death and his body set on fire.
The officer was, however, rescued and members of the public recovered a pistol, American Classic, and one round of ammunition. He was also found with some pellets and the police Certificate of Appointment (CofA).