PH
Tension gripped traders in Nyeri town on Friday following reports that there was a bomb in an abandoned suitcase at a shoeshine kiosk.
They called police officers after the owner of the bag took more than three hours without returning.
Presence of anti-terror police officers and sniffer dogs caused more panic among residents.
The officers evacuated residents and cordoned off the area with crime scene tape.
Mary Nyaguthii, a business woman said a man had asked the shoeshiner to take care of the bag as he attended to some business at the Nyeri Huduma Centre, a few meters away.
He had also given the shoeshiner some KES 30 for the service.
“We got anxious when the suitcase owner, identified by police as an intern at Mt Kenya Bottlers Company, took too long to return, and called the police who quickly moved in,” said Nyaguthii.
However, calm resumed after the suitcase owner emerged to reclaim it and when he opened it in the presence of police officers it was found to contain only his clothes and personal effects.
Nyeri Central OCPD, Charles Rotich confirmed the incident and said they had released the man after they discovered the suitcase was harmless.
He however commended the public for being vigilant.
