This archive report was first published on 1 August 2019.
On Wednesday, a group of over 200 students from various secondary schools in the Rift Valley region descended upon gaming and movie shops in Nakuru's Central Business District, sparking a wave of concern among local authorities.
According to Nakuru East assistant commissioner John Kichwen, officials rounded up the students, but only 57 were arrested, with the rest managing to escape. The students were reportedly smoking bhang and watching pornographic materials.
The students were apprehended at around noon following a tip-off from members of the public and traders at Shoppers Paradise Mall on Kenyatta Avenue in Nakuru.
"There were actually more than 200 watching the pornographic materials from more than five movie outlets in Nakuru's Central Business District," Kichwen said.
Witnesses reported that the students had been frequenting the mall under the guise of playing PlayStation games, but in reality, they were accessing adult content.
"The public has seen large groups of students in uniform getting into the premise. After a thorough investigation, we discovered that the students have been visiting the premises to watch movies and pornography," Nakuru East official James Kinari said.
Officers also arrested seven PlayStation shop operators, including two minors, and confiscated laptops and other gadgets.
Security agencies in Nakuru announced plans to conduct a crackdown on PlayStation shops in the coming days.
The students will be taken for guiding and counselling sessions, while the operators will be arraigned in court today and charged with operating an illegal business.
