Reports that a female passenger was stripped naked by a tout for allegedly not paying fare are not true, Transport CS Kipchumb murkomen has revealed.
In a statement, the CS said investigations into the incident have established that the passenger is first not a woman but a man.
"The passenger in question is a male and not a woman."
The CS said the passenger boarded a matatu from Meru to Nairobi and while other passengers paid their fare, the male passenger took a nap in the car.
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Upon arriving in Nairobi, the passenger is said to have been sleepy prompting the matatu operator to wake him.
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"On being roused up, he reportedly appeared confused and disoriented and did not pay the required fare," the CS said.
"Police officers on patrol were informed as the said passenger started undressing inside the said vehicle."
The officers escorted the vehicle and the passenger to Central police station, Nairobi where upon interrogation on the matter, it was decided that the said passenger be returned back to Meru as he appeared unstable.
The driver of the said vehicle KCS 747L did proceed back to Meru with the passenger and handed him over to Meru Police Station where a report was recorded vide OB 105/18/05/2023, the CS said.
Murkomen added that the police then let the subject person proceed home the following day as he appeared to have stabilized.
"From this interaction, it appears that the said passenger has some mental challenges and for this reason, we have deliberately avoided sharing his pictures or his name and other personal details," the CS said.
"From the above facts, the information circulated in social media is distorted as investigations have not established a case as depicted in the media," he said.
"These findings have been shared with Meru police for further follow-up of the matter."
"As a Ministry, we take seriously cases of safety and dignity of passengers and we thank all those who take the time to report such matters."
