The public was on Wednesday treated to a dramatic car chase on the Nairobi-Nyeri highway after a police officer was abducted by a matatu crew.
More than a dozen police cars full of armed officers raced along the highway moments after news broke that one of their colleagues had been kidnapped and was in a matatu, whose registration was quickly circulated.
The Kasarani-based officer was manning a roadblock near the station with three colleagues.He stopped a matatu headed to Nyeri and on finding a fault, he boarded the vehicle and directed the crew to drive to Kasarani police station.
The officer’s colleagues were stunned when the matatu, with 14 passengers, suddenly sped off towards Thika.The crew threatened the unarmed officer with “dire consequences” should he try and jump off, according to a witness.A team led by Central Provincial police officer John M’Mbijjiwe was hastily assembled to give chase.
“The matatu was driving so fast that we delayed taking action to avoid a serious accident,” said Mr M’Mbijjiwe.The officers eventually caught up with the matatu at Kangocho Hill, about 10 kilometres to Karatina.The police boss said he overtook the matatu and signalled the driver to stop, an order that was defied.
He said he then fired four times in the air but the driver would not stop, forcing him to block the matatu with his Land Cruiser.A witness said he saw at least six Flying Squad saloon cars and six Land Cruisers in hot pursuit of the matatu.He said the police officers occasionally fired at the matatu. “I have never seen so many shots fired in my entire life,” he said.
Other witnesses said the shots shattered the matatu’s windows but no one was injured.Mr M’Mbijjiwe said police rescued the officer unharmed and arrested the matatu crew, who will answer charges of hijacking a law enforcer.
The matatu was towed to Karatina police station where passengers recorded statements.
(Daily Nation)
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