Court orders detention of six officers in Turkana arms trafficking probe

A Nairobi court has ordered the detention of six police officers arrested over alleged illegal firearms and ammunition trafficking in Turkana for 10 days to allow investigators to complete their probe.

Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina allowed the DCI and DPP's requests to have the officers, namely Charles Lotira Ekidor, a prison officer; Ileli Cyrus Kisamwa, Samson Muriithi Mutongu, Wesley Sang, Paul Kipketer Tonui, and Isaac Kipngetich be held at the Capitol Hill Police Station pending probe.

In his ruling, Magistrate Lucas Onyina said the prosecution had met the constitutional threshold required to justify holding the six officers in police cells for more time.

“The prosecution’s application meets the requirements of Article 49 of the Constitution, which guarantees that an arrested person has the right, at the first court appearance, to be charged or informed of the reason for continued detention,” the magistrate observed.

According to the magistrate, the investigating officer laid out compelling reasons to justify the continued detention of the six police officers, including ballistic analysis of the recovered firearm and magazines, digital forensics on seized mobile phones, tracing of accomplices in Nairobi and Turkana, and recovery of additional exhibits from armouries.

Further, Magistrate Onyina referred to affidavits sworn by Prosecution Officer Hilary Kimoyo on September 26 and 29, 2025, which outlined the scope of the probe and warned of possible interference if the suspects were freed  

“While there is no doubt that the respondents have places of abode, part of which have been searched in the course of investigations, I have no doubt that based on the contents of the said supporting affidavit, the prosecution has established a likelihood of the respondents interfering with the ongoing investigations if released at this stage,” the magistrate stated.

The DCI informed the court that it is investigating the six officers on multiple allegations, including possession of ammunition contrary to section 4A(1)(a) of the Firearms Act, possession of a firearm without a certificate, conspiracy to commit a felony under section 393 of the Penal Code, and possession of government stores contrary to section 324 of the Penal Code.

The court was told that officers Kisamwa and Mutongu, both attached to the Nairobi Central Police armoury, ferried ammunition from government stores, which prison officer Ekidor was to collect and transport to Lodwar for sale and redistribution. 

According to an affidavit by investigator Kimulu, “intelligence further connects the first respondent, Ekidor, to the sale of ammunition at Lokichogio market, near the Kenya-South Sudan border.” 

The DCI also alleged that Sang and Tonui controlled the keys to the store where a pistol, magazines, and other ammunition were kept.  

According to an affidavit filed in court by Corporal  Kimuyu, the arrests both in Nairobi and Eldoret followed intelligence reports linking the officers to an underground network supplying ammunition to criminal gangs in the North Rift.

“Upon arrest and subsequent searches, officers recovered one firearm (a Remington Rand pistol, model No. 1911, serial number 1364434), nineteen assorted magazines, and ammunition believed to be linked to illicit trafficking,” Corporal Kimuyu swore in his affidavit.

Kipngetich, a Turkana County’s armoury officer, was arrested alone at Uhuru Highway ferrying 1,007 rounds of ammunition in a small Toyota Passo.

“The ammunitions were believed to be on transit to be used in the commission of crimes such as murder, maiming, and banditry within Turkana County and other adjacent counties where innocent lives have been lost, people displaced, and livestock stolen,” Corporal Kimuyu told the court.

Defence lawyers Danstan Omari and Cliff Ombeta urged the court to reject the DCI’s bid, insisting that the five officers are not flight risks and can be traced easily. 

Omari, who represents Officer Tanui, the fourth respondents, told the court that the officers are well-known members of the disciplined services with established residences and families, making it unreasonable to claim they might abscond. 

 “Tonui is a Chief Inspector and an armorer. His work is to repair defective firearms across the country that cannot fire. He is simply a mechanic and has never, at any time, been entrusted with a live firearm,” Omari court was told. 

The matter will be mentioned on October 9, 2025, for further directions.