Risk Management

A couple of weeks ago, I was urgently called in to advise an Asian family whose daughter had been arrested by officers from Banking Fraud.

As you may know, this is a department of the CID (even though it is couched as a deparment of the Central bank of Kenya).

Contrary to expectations that the Banking Fraud Unit would be more diplomatic and professional, the officers who effected the young girl's arrest were no different from the usual police. They were rude, loud talking, coarse and arrogant. I am told that they even shamelessly demanded a bribe.

They agreed to accompany the complainant to the school where the young lady picks her daughter from school, tailed her until she stopped at a junction to buy maize for her daugher, then cut her off and jumped into her car, scaring the daylights out of the young girl and her daughter.

There was no warrant of arrest.

They then agreed, with some dissatisfaction to let the young lady drop her daughter to her house, and then accompany her to the Banking fraud unit in town.

All this took place at 5pm.

Questions:

1. Why could they not obtain a warrant of arrest
2. Why did they effect the arrest as they did, causing a risk of mental trauma to the nursery school child
3. Why could they not wait until morning to conduct this operation
4. Was this done so that they could extort some bribe out of the lady and her family?

Nevertheless, the young lady spent two nights in a cell before charged in Court, and she is now out on a cash bail.

What was impressive was that the young lady's muslim Asian community has in place what they call a Risk Management Committee, both at local and national level.

Overnight, these communities communicated with the owners of teh business that had lodged a complaint to the Banking Fraud unit, in Dubai seeking to find an amicable solution to the problem.

They even have their own arbitration committee. And they have worked hard to ensure that some of them have open lines of communication with the top bosses in police stations, police divisions and so on.

They have a connection everywhere in order to serve and help their community.

It reminded me of another incident where an Asian who had been arrested by the city council and was put in the cells at Spring Valley police station, was quickly released after contact was made with the police bosses. Indeed, a big shot police officer actually came to the police station and supervised the release of the Asian.

Risk management is critical in today's life, especially in Kenya.

What are you doing your community to put in place risk management structures that are organised and efficient?