By Mwangi Muraguri
Friday, March 13, 2015
Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa (right) and County Police Commandant Robert Kitur at a past event. The two clashed Thursday over the rising crime in the county. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]
Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa and County Police Commander Robert Kitur clashed over the rising crime in Mombasa, after Marwa blamed law enforcement agents and their leaders for the upsurge.
Businessmen, political and religious leaders have led Mombasa residents in questioning the rise in violent crime including mugging, burglary, gang warfare, open consumption of marijuana and robbery in places like Mombasa's Old Town, Majengo, Kikowani and Tudor; questioning whether police are overwhelmed or complicit. Thursday, Marwa claimed police were accepting bribes to free dangerous criminals who return to society. He also criticised the county command structures, but a furious Kitur counter accused the administrator of peddling rumours and attempting to undermine police work. Kitur claimed Marwa had not raised any complaints against police officers and commanders during regular meetings in Mombasa. But Marwa claimed he had reported Mombasa police to the Office of the Inspector General of Police, an allegation Kitur said was absurd.
Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa and County Police Commander Robert Kitur clashed over the rising crime in Mombasa, after Marwa blamed law enforcement agents and their leaders for the upsurge. Businessmen, political and religious leaders have led Mombasa residents in questioning the rise in violent crime including mugging, burglary, gang warfare, open consumption of marijuana and robbery in places like Mombasa's Old Town, Majengo, Kikowani and Tudor; questioning whether police are overwhelmed or complicit. Thursday, Marwa claimed police were accepting bribes to free dangerous criminals who return to society. He also criticised the county command structures, but a furious Kitur counter accused the administrator of peddling rumours and attempting to undermine police work. Kitur claimed Marwa had not raised any complaints against police officers and commanders during regular meetings in Mombasa. But Marwa claimed he had reported Mombasa police to the Office of the Inspector General of Police, an allegation Kitur said was absurd.
SEX OFFENDERS
The altercation erupted following claims that police have failed to combat violent crime in Mombasa and were concentrating on fighting prostitution and extorting motorists as reported in The Standard on Wednesday. Marwa called the Press Thursday to discuss insecurity in the county, where he announced a partnership with all non-governmental organisations to combat crime. Significantly present at Marwa's weekly briefing was Kitur and all the top police commanders amid claims of frosty relations. He singled out Makupa and Central police stations in Mombasa as leading in alleged bribe taking to free suspects. "Police stations (in Mombasa) have turned into ATMs where money exchange hands to release suspects," Marwa said, adding that police have allegedly freed sex offenders after being bribed. He said bribery within the police is a major drawback in the fight against insecurity. "If dangerous criminals are released after giving bribes, when will we ever get rid of insecurity in the county?" Posed Marwa.
But Kitur dismissed the claims and demanded proof of the allegations against police and their commanders. "Let him tell us factual things which can be proved instead of peddling rumours. He should tell us who has taken the bribe and the one who gave it so that we take action," said Kitur. He claimed Marwa's utterances were malicious and meant to malign senior police officers.