Griftu Police Station OCS and the officer in charge of the station’s armoury have been arrested after four rifles and ammunition went missing in unclear circumstances.
The incident, initially suspected to be a misplacement, took a serious turn after the arrest of the two police officers, who are the only people with keys opening the armoury.
According to a police statement seen by K24 Digital, the investigation is being handled by the District Criminal Investigation Officer (DCIO) of Wajir County.
The firearms reported as missing from the station’s inventory include G3 rifle with serial number G3 F89936, AK 47 rifle with serial number Kp 5501679, AK 47 rifle with serial number 5503607, and AK 47 rifle with serial number 5522034.
In addition to the rifles, a total of 90 rounds of 7.62mm×39 special ammunition and 20 rounds of 7.62mm×51 ammunition were also unaccounted for.
Authorities said there were no signs of a break-in or forced entry at the armoury. The station’s records confirm that the firearms and ammunition were properly stored in the designated secure facility.
“Please be informed that the OCS Griftu police station reported a loss of rifles and ammunition on 03.07.2023. It was initially thought to be a misplacement but on further scrutiny, the rifles were discovered missing from the station armoury,” the police statement read in part.
“The armoury was not broken into and the records held in the station indicated that the arms and ammunitions were held in the armoury,” the statement further revealed.
A thorough search was conducted within the premises of Griftu Police Station, including all police posts in the surrounding area, but no leads or evidence were found.
The focus is now on uncovering the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the firearms and identifying any potential internal factors that may have contributed to the incident.
The loss of such weapons poses a significant security risk to the community and the entire region.
Efforts are underway to recover the missing rifles and ammunition, as well as reinforce security protocols within Griftu Police Station and other stations across the sub-county.
