Two police officers who had abandoned their duties of manning Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examinations (KCSE) and instead went for a drinking spree have been arrested.
The two officers are currently held at the Geta police station in Trans Nzoia County for alleged neglect of duty.
Further, the duo had been deployed to man exams at the St Francis Boys High School in Suwerwa, Trans Nzoia County.
According to a police report, the officers helped deliver geography paper one examination papers at the school before abandoning their duty posts.
As per the KCSE timetable, the geography paper was set to be done on 20th of November, 2023.
Consequently, after delivering the papers, the cops proceeded to the nearby shopping center in search for booze and came back later while drunk.
Additionally, police report noted that the incident by the uniformed men was reported by the examination center manager.
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“The matter was later reported by the examination center manager while they were escorting the said exams back to the container where the officers were arrested and placed in custody to face disciplinary action,” the police report reads.
Charges Faced by the Officers
Since the two cops were not yet off duty before proceeding to their merry making plans, they are set to face charges of leaving the place of duty without being officially relieved.
Furthermore, they will also be charged with drinking intoxicating liquor in uniform in a public place and when actively engaged on duty.
Kenyan Laws on Cops Engaging in Alcohol while on Duty
According to the National police act NO. 11 A of 2011, it is illegal for Kenyan police officers to take intoxicating substances while on duty.
“It shall be an offence against discipline for any police officer to; be guilty of drunkenness while on duty. Drink intoxicating liquor or psychotropic substances or drugs or smoke in uniform while actively engaged on duty in a public place,” the act reads in part.
Further, the act specifies that it is an offense for police officers to absent himself without leave or to leave his post or place of duty before he/she is regularly relieved, except in fresh pursuit of an offender who it is his/her duty to apprehend.
However, in recent times, there have been cases of police officers breaking these laws in pursuit of alcohol.
For instance, during the KCPE examinations, a police officer was apprehended by his colleagues after leaving his post in Nakuru County to go on a drinking spree.
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