A man suspected to be mentally ill is being held at a local Kenyan Police Station in Bungoma County after he was found with Sh250,000 cash (K1,854,000.00) and a consignment of banned polythene bags.

The suspect, identified only as Shikuku, was apprehended on Thursday during a sting operation by police and officials of the National Environment Management Authority (Nema).

Shikuku, dressed in dirty, worn-out clothes and with unkempt hair, was spotted speaking to himself near a place where he normally sells plastic bags, seemingly oblivious of the ban.

“The suspect was nabbed with around 15,000 pieces of banned polythene bags [that amount of money]. He is currently in our custody,” Kimilili Sub-County Deputy Commissioner Joyce Onguzo told local journalists in her office on Friday.

She said the man will be arraigned once police finish the investigation.

Residents claimed Shikuku pretended to be ‘mad’ in order to avoid punishment.
An unidentified trader said, “Shikuku is not mad.