KENYA COMPUTERS STOLEN http://www.the-star.co.ke/local/western--nyanza/83625-23-computers-stolen-in-nyanza-state-law-offices-night-raid

23 computers stolen from Nyanza State Law offices

FRIDAY, 06 JULY 2012 00:03 BY JUSTUS OCHIENG

INVADED: One of the offices at the Nyanza State Law building that was broken into on Wednesday night. Photo/JUSTUS OCHIENG

NYANZA Provincial State Law offices located opposite the provincial police headquarters in Kisumu was on Wednesday night raided and 23 computers stolen. Other items stolen include copiers, printers and fax machines. The raid at the offices comes a week after the Kisumu East District headquarters was broken into and 10 computers stolen.

Yesterday, Kisumu deputy police boss Muthuri Mwongera said ten offices within the building were broken into. “The matter was reported this morning (Thursday) because the incident occurred on Wednesday night,” said Mwongera. He said there is a temporary construction structure at the facility where some workers overseeing the extension of the State Law Offices reside, adding that they suspect the workers may have heard the commotion. "We have launched investigations and are not taking any chances," said the police boss.

Speaking to journalists at the Provincial State Law offices, assistant deputy public prosecutor in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Patrick Gumo, said they have lost vital information in the theft of the machines. “We have indeed lost vital information that had been stored in the computers and fear that it will take us time to recollect the data,” said Gumo.

He said last week, he had raised concern with DCIO Peter Matu over the security state in the premises. “It is however, puzzling that the robbery has taken place despite the presence of the provincial police headquarters just opposite our offices,” said Gumo. Deputy police boss Muthuri Mwongera exonerated the police from blame saying Matu ought to have written an official letter to the DC who chairs the district security committee, for security reinforcement.

Kisumu City Residence Voice chairman Audi Ogada accused the police of "total sabotage" in improving security in the area. Residents of Kisumu have in the past raised security concerns in the city prompting Nyanza PC Francis Mutie to order a probe on some senior police officers in the area. However, the residents through Ogada have maintained that nothing conclusive in regard to rising insecurity in the town has been done.