Ethiopia frees Kenyan police after four days in detention

Marsabit acting police chief Mark Wanjala addresses the media in his office on May 8, 2015. He on October 28, 2016 said the gun of a police reservist who had been arrested by Ethiopian soldiers remained in Ethiopia. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Six police officers who had been arrested and detained in Ethiopia have been released.

Ethiopian police from Bubua Police Station, Jinga Omarate District, released the officers on Thursday.

They were arrested last Sunday.

They included Illeret Police Station OCS Chief-Inspector Christopher Nalianya.

The station commander was accompanied by constables Samson Kato, Patrick Juma, Samson Njenga, National Police Reservist (Inspector) Lomide Achala, and Illeret Ward administrator Koriye M. Koriye when they were arrested.

Acting police commander Mark Wanjala on Friday said the officers were released on Thursday at around 1pm after being held for four days.

CROSSED THE BORDER

The officers were arrested after they crossed the border to rescue a reservist, Salim Kala, who had been arrested on October 21 for allegedly fishing on the Ethiopian side in Lake Turkana.

Mr Wanjala said the police reservist's gun was retained by the Ethiopian authorities as an exhibit in a case where he was charged with two counts in an Ethiopian court.

He denied the charges and a hearing was scheduled for November 9.

“The officers were released and the guns and vehicle, which had been confiscated, returned. However, the KPR gun is still with the Ethiopian police,’’ he said, adding he was yet to establish the charges the officer is facing.