Police in Nairobi region have arrested a senior Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer over allegations of involvement with drug peddlers.

The Langata Sub-County DCI boss Chief Inspector Anastacia Kitavi was on Tuesday arrested by detectives from the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) following the completion of investigations.

The suspect is alleged to have committed the crime when she was serving at Itabua Police Station in Embu County.

According to the investigation report by the Internal Affairs Unit, her junior officers had arrested a suspect with bhang and took him to Itabua Police Station.

Instead of charging the suspect in court, Kitavi allegedly took Sh23,000 which the suspect had and released him unconditionally. She also retained the bhang as an exhibit.

After Internal Affairs Unit investigations, the file was forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for perusal and advice.

On May 16, the ODPP directed the Internal Affairs Unit to charge the officer with abuse of office contrary to section 46 as read with Section 48 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.

Chief Inspector Kitavi was yesterday arrested and released on a cash bail and will be arraigned on July 11 at Embu Law Courts.

A senior detective said the officer is also under investigations over some allegations of malpractice while serving in Langata Sub-County.

A number of senior officers from Embu have been investigated over involvement in drug trafficking.

In one case, a senior DCI officer was accused of extorting Sh800,000 from a trafficker.

 It is alleged that, with the help of a senior officer, she was exonerated but junior officers involved in the scandal were transferred.