Four people arrested at illegal quarry operation site

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov, 20 – Four people are in police custody after they were arrested early Friday morning in Njiru, operating an illegal quarry site without a permit.

Officers that are part of a multi-agency team descended on the four on the site also confiscating several equipment and vehicles used in the illegal operation.

Police were however forced to fire in the air, in attempt to stop the suspects who attempted to flee the scene to no avail.

Njiru sub-county Deputy Commissioner James Chacha who are part of the environment and solid waste committee in Ruai and Njiru divisions told Shahidi news that several complaints had been launched on alleged degradation of the environment by unscrupulous individuals on private land.

“We have so far closed down several quarries in the area for operating illegally. Those found operating will be arrested and taken to court, we can not allow our environment to be destroyed,” James Chacha, the DCC said.

Several land owners have also filed complaints to the police over the quarry activities by unknown individuals often at times threatened if they dared report.

The National Environment Management Authority, (NEMA), has also warned authorised quarry operators against defying the terms of their licences failure to which they will face prosecution.

“We have been conducting these operations even during the night, these people are however engaging us in a game of cat and mouse, they must stop this behaviour ,” Chacha said.

The multi-agency team has has also revealed that gangs have been using some of the quarries in Njiru, Mihango and Mwiki as “rape dens” or even their bases of criminal activities.

The four suspects are set to be charged in court.