It is a common thing to see dozens of motorbikes and vehicles parked and detained in the yards of police stations across the country for either being impounded for flouting traffic rules, causing accidents, or committing different crimes.
Locals have decried cases where police impound and detain motorbikes in Western regions only to demand ‘a forgiveness’ levy from owners.
A section of those interviewed said the police impound the motorbikes on flimsy grounds and resort to auctioning the detained motorbikes in case the owners fail to raise a ‘forgiveness’ fee within a specified period.
The cases are rampant in Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma, and Vihiga Counties.
In the Western region, police are holding over 2,500 motorbikes impounded and detained for not committing any traffic offence.
According to Western Region Police Commander Kiprono Langat police have been extorting Kenyans by demanding the famous ‘Forgiveness fee’ in the transport sector for the release of the bikes without presenting owners to court.
Kakamega Police Station
For instance, the Kakamega Central Police Station police yard has over 110 impounded motorbikes.
According to Salim Abdalla, boda boda operator, his motorbike was impounded by a traffic police officer for allegedly using the wrong lane. “One of the police officers told me to take him to Kakamega Central Police Station and on my way back a traffic police officer I had come across ordered me to stop and took my motorbike to the station stating that I had used the wrong lane and yet I had carried one of his colleague who did not see my mistake in the first place, “said Abdalla.
“The officer ordered me to give him Sh500 so that he can release my motorbike, adding that the amount will be much higher if the motorbike finds its way to the station and I had no choice but to give out the money.”
However, bod boda operators have welcomed the move by the regional police commander to stop the rogue police from using the ‘forgiveness levy’ to enrich themselves and extort from innocent and hardworking Kenyans.
“We are very pleased that this act is coming to an end, people must work within a stipulated law and not through dubious means by taking advantage of many riders and road users who are not conversant with traffic rules,” said Eliud Sitati, a boda boda operator.
Sitati added that boda boda operators have been most hit by the famous ‘forgiveness fee’ among other road users.
“They know motorbikes are many and the sector has been associated with a bad name in the transport sector by few bad people who have tarnished the name of the sector and that is why police officers are always on our neck in many wrong ways,” said Sitati.
However, those boda boda operators whose motorbikes were impounded maintained that they would only take their motorbikes when in good condition.
“I will only take my motorbike if it is in good condition because most of our motorbikes were impounded while in good condition. As we speak, police have impounded many motorbikes to the extent that they are being abandoned in an open place because the yard is too small to accommodate the motorbikes,” said a boda boda operator who sought anonymity.
Parking yards
The famous ‘forgiveness fee’ that ranges between Sh2,500 to Sh5,000 has led many people to refuse to collect their motorbikes making most of the police stations in the region turn into parking yards.
The Nairobian established that most motorbikes are in good condition while others have started to wear out and the bikes are used as a tool of extortion where rogue officers demand between Sh2,500 to Sh5,000 to release them to owners.
Furthermore, sources from police say, some rogue police officers have been auctioning the motorbikes and pocketing the money.
“For most of the motorbikes we have in our stations, the owners were not found with serious mistakes while others were just innocent but because of some police officers who have been demanding ‘forgiveness fee’ which is corruption in simple terms have led people to abandon their motorbikes in our stations making it difficult for us return the property to owners because we do not know them,” said Langat.
The police boss said traffic police have been arresting the motorbikes as early as 8 am with a view of taking them to court. Still, they end up taking the motorbikes to police stations in a bid to receive money because they have no strong case or evidence to present suspects to court.
“When police arrest a motorbike owner they know the best place to advance their habit of bribe is at the police station because most people fear police station for those who fall into the trap give out money but those who do not have money opt to leave to look for money and that is how their items remain in the stations,” said Langat.
The police boss said after discovering the trick by some rogue officers, police started selling out motorbikes that were abandoned by owners to the public secretly at a low price to hide and destroy evidence.
“After stopping the ‘forgiveness fee’ I also found out that a section of police officers were selling motorbikes at a low price of Sh2,000 to Sh5,000 to destroy evidence hiding behind the auctioning of the items, something I also stopped,” said Langat.
Taking action
Langat said after numerous complaints from members of the public they have been able to stop police from impounding motorbikes for no good reason..
“When we got information about the act, we moved with speed and stopped the behaviour, we want members of the public and police officers to follow the law and work within the required regulations,” he said.
“We are calling upon the members of the public whose bikes were impounded to come and pick up them.”
Langat however said they have started clearing and giving out motorbikes to owners who have presented themselves to various police stations and the first police station to clear the backlog of motorcycles is Webuye Police Station.
“Officers who will be found operating out of stipulated rules will carry their cross, “said Langat.
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