More security officers, especially from the National Police Service, have been implicated in violent crimes in recent months.

An independent probe has revealed that over 20 officers are currently under investigation, mostly for robbery with violence, while at least five police officers and a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldier have been arrested for being involved in robberies in the last two weeks.

The latest arrest was on Thursday when an off-duty KDF soldier based in Wajir was arrested for robbing a man of his valuables along Racecourse Road in Nairobi.

Police are also pursuing two of his accomplices –one of them from Nyakach SubCounty -who escaped from the scene immediately after the robbery. The victim, Jonathan Mboya a resident of Kayole was attacked by the three near St Peter’s Clavers Church at around 4 am when he was heading to the bus stage.

The robbers were armed with crude weapons and also injured the victim before they stole from him, according to police. Nairobi Central SubCounty Police Commander Stephen Okal said the soldier and his accomplices robbed Mboya of Sh15,000, a mattress, a mobile phone and a television set, among others.

“Police officers on patrol rushed to the scene and managed to arrest one suspect, a KDF officer Private Linus Brian Otieno based in Wajir County who was positively identified by the victim,” a police citation reads.

The police commander said the soldier was handed over to the Military Police for further action as police concluded the investigations.

“Reports indicate that some rogue police officers are involved in violent crimes including robbery with violence. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that they are usually armed and clearly understand the deployment of the officers in the city,” another senior officer told People Daily.

Two weeks ago, two other General Service Unit (GSU) officers and a member of the public were arrested in a botched robbery in Githurai, Kasarani Sub-County. Constables Frederick Githinji Waithera and Edward Chege Mwangi, both GSU officers attached to respectively and Kelvin Chomba were arrested by undercover officers from Githurai police posts who were on night patrols.

They had pinned down the victim, Samuel Kimani, as they were robbing him when the officers arrived at the scene.