Prison wardens accused of working with criminals in Maragua

Maragua MP Mary Waithera wants three prison wardens attached to Maranjau prison in Murang’a county punished for peddling drugs and abetting crime.

This followed numerous complaints from members of the public accusing the three officers of associating with criminals that have made life unbearable in the semi-arid Kambiti area.

The majority of the locals are squatters who grapple with challenges such as small land sizes compounded with consistent droughts that have slowed down the development of the area.

Even with the ongoing rains, locals struggle to provide food for their families and livestock that they then sell for income.

According to the MP, the abundance of drugs has fueled petty theft that has seen chickens, goats and cows stolen, impoverishing locals further.

The drugs trade, she said, is being perpetrated by the officers who have procured motorbikes that are used to hawk bhang.

They allegedly use four known criminals that the MP named in a public baraza attended by members of the sub-county security team led by Deputy County Commissioner Gitonga Murungi.

They are also seen mingling with local police officers, portraying the image of being untouchable and leaving local administrators helpless.

Waithera claimed that the three prison officers are part of a group of eight wardens who rent houses at Kiambamba shopping centre due to congestion in the prison quarters.

“The insecurity that has rocked this area has forced residents to close their shops by 6.30 pm as the theft is being perpetrated even in broad daylight."

“The officers themselves have become a major source of insecurity for residents at a time when the government is working so hard to improve the economy,” she said as residents loudly agreed with her.

She challenged the security committee to deal with the rogue officers, failure to which she would seek help from higher offices.

The MP also pledged to construct 20 houses in the prison in the next financial year to ease congestion in its quarters which will enable the officers to live with their families.

The officer in charge of the prison Stephen Ithanzu confirmed having received complaints over the three wardens saying investigations are ongoing and appropriate punitive action will be taken.

Five other wardens living in the shopping centres will be relocated back into the prison to reduce their interaction with the public.

“I have over 170 wardens in the prison and not all of them are rogue. Anyone who sells drugs is my enemy and will be treated as so."

He urged locals to register their complaints with any prison worker in the facility’s complaints book for appropriate action.

The spotlight, he assured, had been shone on the officers and the criminals and that their activities would not be allowed to continue.

“We have been investigating these people for a while now, only that investigations are done quietly,” he confirmed.

He said security officers are sent to an area with the expectation of helping keep residents secure and not burden them with crime.

“Your complaints have been heard and you will see changes very soon. Our offices and mobile phones are open 24 hours. Don’t allow such situations to escalate that far. Make noise like you have now”.

He however challenged locals to take their parental responsibilities seriously saying lack of guidance has seen many young men engage in drugs.

Hordes of youths, he said, are dropping out of school to work in local estates and quarries, and are seen patronizing bars.

“You walk into any bar and most of the people there are underage. This shows there is a gap in parenthood."