The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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Karen Police Station Commander, Purity Kobia, has been apprehended following accusations of orchestrating the unauthorized sale of a Mazda Demio, which had been impounded at her station, for a mere Sh50,000. The arrest, carried out by detectives from the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU), resulted in Kobia’s detention at Capitol Hill Police Station.
The decision to charge Kobia was greenlit by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) subsequent to a complaint lodged against her concerning the irregular release and subsequent auctioning of Siama Rahma’s vehicle from Karen Police Station.
According to official statements from the ODPP, the Mazda Demio, originally valued at Sh600,000, had been seized following an accident in October 2021. However, it was illicitly released and sold via a public auction in 2023 without adhering to proper procedures, allegedly under Kobia’s directives.
Rahma, the vehicle’s owner, reported that repeated attempts to retrieve her car proved fruitless. Even after spotting her vehicle being driven by an officer in mid-2023, her efforts to reclaim it were met with resistance. Despite filing an official complaint with the IAU in November of the previous year, her attempts to recover the vehicle were persistently thwarted.
Following thorough investigations by the IAU, the ODPP issued a directive on February 5, 2024, granting Kobia and her associates a 30-day window to compensate Rahma. Failure to comply would result in charges including theft of a motor vehicle, abuse of office, and conspiracy to commit a felony.
However, upon the expiration of the given timeframe, Kobia failed to appear in court as expected. Consequently, detectives from the IAU tracked her down and apprehended her, subsequently booking her at Capitol Hill Police Station.
Despite being released on Sh10,000 cash bail due to alleged health concerns, Kobia is scheduled to appear in court on April 17 to face charges including conspiracy to commit a felony, theft of a motor vehicle, false swearing, and abuse of office.
The auctioneer involved in the sale of the vehicle is also slated to appear in court alongside Kobia, with the impounded vehicle currently serving as an exhibit at Capitol Hill Police Station.
