An attempt by two officers to arrest three colleagues who were harassing and demanding bribes from boda boda riders in Nairobi’s City Hall Way was met with kicks and blows.

Police say they responded after they were alerted that three officers were illegally arresting motorcycle taxi operators on trumped-up charges and demanding bribes for their release.

According to police, the three officers are police corporal Cliff Ombati, Kenya Defence forces (KDF) soldier Lance Corporal Ben Shiundu and Prison Warder and Eugene Shivachi.

Shiundu is from 15 Kenya Army, Mariakani, Shivachi is from Wajir GK Prison, and Ombati is based in Nairobi’s Uhuru Camp and were made out by a pedestrian who notified police.

The trio was said to have illegally stopped a boda boda rider on City Hall Way on Wednesday and detained it demanding Sh4,000 from him before they could release his motorbike.

When the two officers from Nairobi’s Central Police Station approached their three colleagues to establish what was going on all they got instead was kicks and blows.

However, they managed to apprehend the three with the help of members of the public even as they sustained serious injuries from the scuffle

Police say they handed over Lance Corporal Shiundu to Military Police for action as the Administration Police and Prisons officers await arraignment in Nairobi on Thursday.

They will be charged with demanding by menace, impersonation and being in possession of government stores after they were found with handcuffs.