By Betty Luke
Isiolo and Samburu are grappling with inadequate space at their cells following increasing number of offenders being arrested on daily basis.
With social distancing measures put in place to curb spread of Covid-19 that continues to wreak havoc across the globe, the cells at Isiolo Police Station, Kulamawe, Garbatulla and Archers Post in Samburu cannot hold more suspects.
Police continue to experience tough time as the increasing number of suspects being arrested burden the already overwhelmed cells.
More worrying is the soaring number of immigrants being arrested along the Isiolo-Moyale corridor and who mostly are taken to Meru cells before they are arraigned in Isiolo.
Enforcement of curfew rules has seen many people arrested further stretching the facilities in Meru, Isiolo and Samburu.
Isiolo County Commissioner Herman Shambi recently lauded the Isiolo court for fining some residents who had flouted the curfew rules saying doing so would ease the burden of continued holding of the suspects.
An officer who did not want to be named told thepresspoint.com that they had nowhere left to take suspects as Archers post, Garbatulla, Isiolo station and some Meru cells were full.
“We are facing a huge challenge because the people we take to court might be detained and then we still have other people being arrested. We have no enough space as Covid-19 protocols have to be observed to stem spread of the disease,” the officer said.
The challenge, the Press Point is aware, has made it difficult for the cells to ensure strict observance of the health guidelines putting the suspects at high risk of contracting the virus.
So, if you get arrested, be ready for serious adventure while police seek a cell with space to accomodate you.
In June last year, three inmates at Isiolo GK Prison tested positive for Covid-19 forcing isolation of all other prisoners at the facility.
There are about 50,000 inmates in the country, while the available facilities can only accommodate 30,000 persons according to the Commissioner General of Kenya Prisons Wycliff Ogallo.
