Two arrested in Makueni for vandalising SGR line

By , K24 Digital
On Sat, 27 Nov, 2021 20:35 | < 1 min read
PHOTO/COURTESY.

Police in Makueni have arrested a scrap metal dealer responsible for vandalism of railway gauge blocks occasioning the delay of SGR services on Monday November 22, has been arrested.

According to police, Michael Mbevi was arrested on the morning of Saturday, November 27 at his scrap metal store in Kinyambu, Mtito-Andei as he loaded the gauge blocks into a lorry destined for the lucrative scrap metal market.

Also arrested at the store in the 11am raid, was the Lorry’s driver Nicodemus Kyove, as he desperately attempted to escape.

"The arrest of the two suspects followed a tip-off from a patriotic member of the public who informed Railway Police officers and DCI detectives engaged in an operation to recover the vandalized blocks and arrest of the suspects," the police statement read in part.

Police say the disappearance of the critical blocks led to the stoppage of operations along the busy railway line for two hours, as railway engineers and security officers inspected the extent of the damage caused to the critical national transport infrastructure.

"The greed by scrap metal dealers to make quick profits through sale of the gauge blocks which ensure that the width of the railway line is maintained could have led to devastating consequences including the derailment of a train," the police statement read in part.

Police say the suspects will face Economic Sabotage and Terrorism related charges which is serious adding that it will serve as a warning to any other person/s harboring the idea of vandalizing railway property.