Tuesday September 17, 2019
by STEPHEN ASTARIKO
.jpg)
TIGHTLIPPED: Garissa police boss Edward Masibo
Sources say driver of truck ferrying items and his turn boy have been arrested
An Administration Police officer is among suspects being sought for stealing relief food meant for residents of Hulugh0 town in Garissa county.
Police impounded the relief consignment as it was being repackaged from government branded bags.
Garissa police boss Edward Masibo did not say how many suspects they were looking for. Sources said the driver of the truck ferrying the relief food and his turn boy had been arrested.
Hulugho town, at the border of Kenya and Somalia, is among drought-ravaged regions in dire need of humanitarian aid.
Sources told the Star the AP officer, stationed at Sangailu police post within Hulugho was being sought for signing that the consignment reached its destination.
The foodstuff was being ferried in two lorries. The items including rice, cooking oil and beans, were offloaded at the Garissa police station.
Masibo was present as the consignment was offloaded. He promised to issue a comprehensive statement later.
Local leaders including members of the Garissa county assembly visited the police station on Friday. They called for the arrest of those involved in theft of relief food.
MCAs Adow Mohamed (Hulugho) and Abdullahi Buthul (Sangailu) and Hulugho subcounty administrator Abdullahi Yarrow said it had become the trend for relief food to be stolen by government officials.
“It's very unfortunate that relief food meant for wananchi can be diverted by people entrusted to distribute them. We demand immediate action against those involved,” Mohamed said.