Two suspects arrested after police intercepted a lorry ferrying railway sleepers along Nairobi - Mombasa highway in Athi River, Machakos County on May 17, 2016.
Two men are in police custody after detectives intercepted a lorry carrying railway sleepers valued at Sh4.9 million along the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway in a suspected case of theft of critical railway infrastructure.
The suspects, including the lorry driver, were arrested on Saturday by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers attached to Athi River Police Station following a targeted operation near Simba Cement Company on the outskirts of Athi River town, Machakos County.
Police say the officers stopped and searched the truck, discovering 541 railway sleepers, each weighing 50 pounds, believed to belong to the Kenya Railways Corporation.
The suspects were first detained at Athi River Police Station before being transferred to the SGR Police Station for further processing ahead of their court appearance. The lorry used in the alleged offence was also impounded.
Senior officers from Athi River and SGR police stations on Sunday supervised the processing of the suspects and the inventory of the recovered materials before the case was formally handed over to SGR-based investigators.
Detectives said the operation was launched following a tip-off indicating that the consignment had been loaded in Taita Taveta County before being ferried towards the capital.
Investigations have since been launched by DCI officers attached to the SGR Police Station to establish the full network behind the alleged theft.
Authorities have warned that vandalism and theft of railway infrastructure is a serious offence, noting that such materials are classified as critical national assets.
Under Kenyan law, individuals convicted of interfering with railway infrastructure with intent to endanger lives face severe penalties, including life imprisonment in extreme cases.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Kenya Railways Corporation and the National Police Service, have in the past issued repeated warnings over the destruction and theft of railway materials, describing it as a threat to public safety and national infrastructure.
In a related precedent, courts in 2023 sentenced a man in Mariakani to 10 years in prison without the option of a fine for vandalising SGR infrastructure and stealing metal components worth Sh30,000.
The suspects in the latest incident remain in custody as investigations continue
