A case before a Nakuru court involving police impersonator Joshua Waiganjo has rekindled his memories in the dusty Njoro town where he was feared and loved in equal measure.
For 10 years, Waiganjo is said to have roamed the town with Njoro police station being his ‘work station’, despite being a fake cop.
According to those who interacted with Waiganjo during his stay at Njoro, the man with a puffy face, was a darling to his buddies as he would invite them for booze and nyama choma in several joints in Njoro.
His favourite joint, though, was Farmers Inn where he had an exclusive ‘VIP table’.
Junior officers who served under Waiganjo said he was a man to fear and love.
“When you crossed his line, he would probably punish you. When you did good, he would reward you,” a police officer who interacted with Waiganjo said.
‘Crossing his line’ involved impounding cars he had given a clean bill of health or refusing to salute him accordingly. And the punishment involved paying for his bills and that of his buddies after enjoying themselves at the famous joint in Njoro. Also punishment would involve being transferred to far-flung areas.
How a fake police officer wielded so much power that he could even transfer an OCPD is still what puzzles Njoro residents.
“That story is like a movie. Do you know he once transferred an OCPD? How can an impersonator penetrate the file and rank of the police to that extent?” a source at Njoro police station said.
Former Njoro OCPD Peter Nthiga once told a Nakuru court that Waiganjo was ‘untounchable’.
The court was shocked to hear that the man accused of masquerading as a top police boss promised Njoro station a new patrol land cruiser, and true to the promise, the car was delivered within days.
In his game of duplicity, Waiganjo introduced himself as an assistant commissioner of police. And he had a full uniform for the rank.
His cookie crumbled in January 2013 after he flew on a police helicopter to investigate the massacre of rookie officers in Baragoi.
Other top police bosses in the country did not know him and investigations started immediately.
On January 4, he was handcuffed as his story stunned the police force in the country.
They should have let him continue being a cop.