This archive report was first published on 5 August 2020.
On August 1, 2020, a brazen robbery with violence incident shook a gas depot in Machakos, leaving a trail of destruction and raising questions about the integrity of some of Kenya's elite law enforcement officers.
According to reports, three police officers from the DCI's elite Special Service Unit (SSU) were arrested in connection with the incident, which involved the extortion of Sh1 million from a local businessman.
The suspects, who were identified as members of the SSU, allegedly received Sh600,000 from the gas depot's management after threatening to arrest workers. They then forced the security boss to withdraw an additional Sh100,000 from an ATM in Matuu town.
Further investigations revealed that the officers had transferred Sh370,000 to various Mpesa accounts and Safaricom lines, which were later traced back to the suspects.
The SSU, which was created in December 2019 by DCI George Kinoti, is tasked with tackling organized crimes and robberies. However, the incident has raised concerns about the unit's effectiveness and the need for greater accountability within the DCI.
