The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) are now accusing police along Kenya-Somalia boarders of providing terrorists with trade and security links within the country at a fee.
According to a complain filed by KDF on Friday, February 1,police are said to be engaging in illegal businesses with terrorists.
The soldiers claim the illegal businesses are raising funds which finance terror activities within the country. “It is this illegal trade that is financing al-Shabaab operations through Zakat collection,” read the complain in part.
According to KDF, an OCPD at Hasabweni Police Station has been using a government vehicle to engage in illicit trade with terrorists. The soldiers have since called upon Interior CS Fred Matiang’i, IG Joseph Boinnet and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji to intervene.
Among accusations leveled against the OCPD is selling of 300 bags of contraband sugar belonging to al-Shabaab and receiving heavy kickbacks.
” The KDF in Wajir County have launched a serious complain to Habaswein DSIC committee regarding hundreds of bags of confiscated counterfeit sugar which have disappeared from Habaswein Police Station exhibit store under unclear circumstances. “The sugar in question totaling around 309 bags was confiscated last year (2018) by the KDF along the Kenya -Somalia from smugglers associated with al-Shabaab,” the KDF complained
However, KDF say the OCPD decided to transport the contraband sugar using police vehicle to his house in Kitui County where he secretly sold it and gave the money back to al-Shabaab.
“The OCPD has been selling the commodity back to the smugglers secretly by using his official police vehicle to facilitate the illicit trade. Some of the commodity is reportedly taken to his house in Kitui for further sale. “Instead of being a custodian of the law, the OCPD is abusing authority and aiding al-Shabaab activities by abetting illegal sugar smuggling under the cover of darkness,” the solders claimed.
The KDF realised the seized sugar was missing when they asked the OCPD about it but he was unable to explain.
A team of KDF soldiers from Dadajabula camp in Wajir County further claimed they were blocked from inspecting the exhibit stores regarding goods they suspected to be missing.
“The DSIC team was blocked from retaking the inventory at the station’s exhibit store to prove or disapprove the complain.What is the OCPD hiding or fearing by disallowing this simple inspection if at all he is innocent?” KDF posed.
It is feared that the OCPD might have again been funded to quickly source for a similar brand of sugar to cover the missing sugar already sold.
“Let him know the citizens are watching! The KDF is feeling demoralised and this will affect the war against terrorism unless quick action is taken,” a source from the military said.
The source said they have been wondering how al-Shabaab funded their operations within the country and how they get vital security alerts at a time when security surveillance and surveillance have been stepped up.