A police officer based in Machakos County is behind bars for robbery with violence charges after attacking a university student and robbing him of his mobile phone and other valuables.

According to the police report, the officer identified as Kevin Sila together with another accomplice accosted two Machakos University students who were riding a bicycle on Sunday night heading to their rented apartment.

The officer and his sidekick who were also on a motorbike flagged down the students before launching their scathing attack and petting down one student.

However, the other student escaped the beating narrowly after he bolted into the darkness, screaming for help.

His screams attracted the attention of their neighbours who apparently were also students from the same university as him.

In the spirit of good neighbourliness and comrade power, the students quickly responded to the SOS and rescued their fellow student from the hands of the rogue police officer and his accomplice now identified as David Muringu.

Upon realising they were outnumbered, the police-cum-thug and his accomplice handed the phone they had stolen back to the student and tried to take off.

Unfortunately for them, it was already too late as officers from Machakos Police had arrived.

The officers arrested their colleague and his accomplice before taking them into custody at the Machakos Police Station where they are waiting to be arraigned in court to face robbery with violence charges.