Matatu Crashes in Litein After Police Officer Allegedly Strangles Driver Over Bribe Demand
A shocking road accident along the Litein–Kericho route on Tuesday has left several people injured under highly disturbing circumstances. The crash occurred near Litein in Kericho County and involved a 14-seater matatu belonging to the Nakuru Line Sacco.
Witnesses and initial reports indicate that the incident began when a traffic police officer, allegedly demanding a bribe, jumped into the moving vehicle after the driver failed to stop. The driver, apparently trying to avoid the officer, steered off the main road.
This triggered a struggle between the two, during which the officer is said to have grabbed the driver by the neck and attempted to strangle him.
The scuffle caused the matatu to lose control and veer off course before crashing head-on into a tree. The front of the vehicle was completely mangled, with images obtained by Newshub.co.ke showing the wreckage.
Several passengers suffered varying injuries and were rushed to a nearby medical facility for treatment.
The Motorist Association of Kenya (MAK) has strongly condemned the actions of the police officer, calling the incident unacceptable and questioning the methods used by law enforcement on Kenyan roads.
“What kind of enforcement is this? Reports indicate that a traffic police officer in Litein jumped into a moving matatu that had refused to stop to hand over ‘usual’ bribe money, and in the process started strangling the driver. The vehicle then lost control, hit a tree, and casualties were reported,” the association stated in its remarks.
This case adds to the long-standing problem of police officers soliciting bribes from public transport drivers, an issue that has repeatedly been linked to dangerous incidents on the road.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has been conducting active investigations into police bribery, especially in traffic operations.
Just recently, the commission arrested several officers in the Rift Valley region, including two in Litein, which is notorious as a bribe collection point along the Sotik–Kericho road.
These arrests came after numerous complaints from motorists about constant harassment and extortion by traffic police.
EACC has consistently warned that bribery in traffic enforcement not only encourages corruption but also poses a serious threat to road safety.
Officers who collect bribes often allow unroadworthy vehicles to operate without proper inspection, significantly increasing the risk of accidents.
In its latest corruption report, the EACC listed the National Police Service—particularly traffic officers—as one of the most corrupt institutions in the country.
The commission stressed that such unethical practices erode public trust in law enforcement and continue to put lives at risk on Kenya’s highways.
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