A traffic police officer has been reprimanded by a magistrate in Nairobi for insulting a motorist. The officer, identified as Mr Abdi, who is based at Kilimani Police Station, had been summoned to appear before a traffic court magistrate at the Milimani Law Courts following complaints by the motorist, Lucy Kaburia. On Friday, the officer denied the allegations before the court.
The incident is said to have happened near Nairobi Hospital on Wednesday when the officer stopped the driver for obstructing other motorists. Ms Kaburia claims she was changing lanes to avoid a pothole when the officer stopped her. “I tried to explain to him why I had changed lanes but he started hurling insults at me. He called me a stupid woman, saying he had seen better women than me,” Ms Kaburia told court.
She said the officer then tried to get into the vehicle after arresting her but she resisted and locked the doors, adding that he tried to snatch the ignition keys but failed. Kaburia said she drove to Kilimani Police Station where she was arrested and immediately taken to the traffic court.
During the hearing, the magistrate asked the officer to respect people while Kaburia was asked to pay the fine for obstruction and report the issue to a police station if not satisfied with the action taken. This was after the prosecutor said Kaburia had not recorded a statement with the police over the incident.
