Traffic police officers attached to Meru police Station on Monday impounded a Matatu and arrested its owner after a video showing a driver and his conductor harassing a female passenger on Sunday along the Meru-Nairobi highway went viral on social media.
Addressing the press, Imenti North Sub County OCPD, Peter Kimani said that his men impounded the vehicle and arrested the owner, Paul Kiminja as he was heading towards Nkubu.
Kimani also revealed that police officers have launched a manhunt for the two suspects who are still at large. “Let the suspects surrender themselves at any nearby police station because their particulars have been circulated all over and our nets have been cast wide,” appealed the OCPD.
He said the owner will be charged with negligence, failure to have necessary documents and keeping an un-roadworthy vehicle on the road.
The police boss warned that the arrest will serve as a lesson to other rogue traffic offenders in the region.
The NTSA Upper Eastern Regional Manager, Joseph Gichohi added that after conducting an inspection on the KBU 254G vehicle, it was discovered that its speed governor had been tampered with sometimes in February and some seatbelts were missing.
“We have summoned all Saccos to sensitize them on road safety and good ethics in order to have a cordial working environment,” revealed Mr. Gichohi.
According to the police a female passenger had been forcefully ejected out of the 14-seater Matatu which belongs to the Meru Shuttle SACCO after she denied an excess passenger to board the Nairobi bound vehicle.
Her boldness is said to have led to a heated exchange of words which resulted to harassment and hurling of abusive words from the suspects.
By Kelvin Nkrumah/ Richard Muhambe
