Salgaa residents accuse police of assault during fuel crackdown

Residents of Salgaa centre have expressed concerns over the arrest of more than 50 people during a crackdown on illegal fuel pumps by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Monday.

Residents claims that during the operation, officers from the General Service Unit assaulted businessmen and women who were flushed out of their premises and bundled onto vehicles.

“It is saddening that they even arrested women who had nothing to do with the fuel business but were just going on with their normal lives. Some were even going to fetch water,” said one resident identified as Florence Leitich.

Area MCA Daniel Mutai said it was unfortunate to round up such a big number of innocent locals without carrying out investigations before the crackdown.

Mutai said efforts to get clarity from the security chiefs within the county have been futile as everyone denies their participation.

Rongai OCPD Japhet Kioko Ngatwa, when contacted by Citizen Digital, said that he was not informed of the operation but learned of it later and therefore could not provide any details on the swoop.

A statement by ERC said that more than 1,000 litres of adulterated petroleum fuel were nabbed.