Kenyan police officers arrested while drinking despite ban

Four police officers have been arrested in Kenya after they were found drinking at a bar, in violation of a directive that ordered the closure of all bars in the central Kenyan county of Kirinyaga.

The county's governor, Anne Waiguru, imposed the order last Saturday, after more than 20 people in the county died from consuming alcohol laced with ethanol.

"I have today ordered the closure of all bars in Kirinyaga to pave the way for fresh vetting, those bars that will be found to have been operating without license or had previous cases of selling unauthorised products will not be allowed to open again,” Ms Waiguru said on Saturday during a mass burial of some of the victims.

The officers were arrested on Sunday during a raid on the bar, after a local resident tipped authorities.

The bar's owner was also detained, but several customers escaped arrest, privately-owned Citizen Digital news website reported.