Six individuals have been arrested for operating an illegal police cell and detaining unsuspecting victims in Kakamega town.
The gang, made up of youths including a woman, has been impersonating police officers, extorting money and terrorizing local residents.
The group would arrest residents and demand Ksh300 for their release. Those who fail to pay are locked in the makeshift cell and subjected to physical abuse.
The incident was reported by the area’s Assistant Chief, Isaac Ayumba, who revealed that many residents had fallen victim to the criminal operation.
The victims narrated harrowing accounts of being locked in a cramped, single-room cell alongside both men and women, forced to use buckets to relieve themselves.
Just like in regular police cells, the suspects held in the filthy conditions are provided with food.
Police are pursuing more suspects, while the victims remain without medical treatment due to lack of funds.
