Two Kenyan police officers have been arrested by Tanzanian authorities after allegedly crossing into Tanzanian territory in an attempt to apprehend a suspect, raising concerns over cross-border law enforcement conduct.
According to a police report filed at Lungalunga Police Station in Kwale County, the officers — Police Constables Patrick Kithinji and Ahmed Ali, both attached to the crime office at Tononoka Police Station — were arrested on January 6, 2026, at Horohoro, just inside Tanzania.
The officers reportedly claimed they were pursuing a suspect identified as Omar Ali, who is wanted in Kenya for the offence of obtaining money by false pretence, allegedly committed in Tononoka, Mombasa County.
Tanzanian authorities, however, detained the officers for carrying out the operation on foreign soil without formal coordination or authorisation. At the time of arrest, the two officers were found in possession of two Ceska pistols, each loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition. The firearms and ammunition were confiscated.
The officers were accompanied by a driver identified as Abdkadir Adan Ganyure, an employee of the Coast Development Authority. They were travelling in a vehicle bearing Kenyan registration number KDA 240P, which has also been seized.
All three individuals, along with the vehicle and confiscated weapons, remain in the custody of Tanzanian authorities as investigations continue and diplomatic engagement between the two countries is awaited.
The incident underscores the sensitivities surrounding cross-border policing and the importance of adherence to established legal and diplomatic protocols between neighbouring states.
