KENYA:UN Officials Arrested At JKIA After Fight Over Smelly Socks

 
Two UN officials were on Friday arrested at JKIA after they landed from an international flight and allegedly started fighting over smelly shoes worn by one of them.

Confirming the incident on Monday, the Kenya Police Airport Unit deputy commandant noted that after the arrest, the two senior officials were later released even though investigations on cases of assault and creating public disturbance were ongoing.

One of the officers, identified as Haris Pajtic –  a Croatian national and human resource liaison officer at the UN-Habitat – told police that he boarded the Turkish Airline's plane from Istanbul with his colleague Lamin Dean Tunkara.

Pajtic further reported that Tunkara, a Gambian who is a monitoring and evaluation specialist with the UNDP, removed his shoes and once Pajtic detected the stinky smell from his colleague's feet, he politely informed him and pleaded with him to wear his shoes.

Unfortunately for the Croatian, his Gambian workmate did not heed the message but he instead began making obscene gestures and insulting him.

Pajtic further accused his colleague of using racist language that goes against the UN regulations.

When their plane landed at JKIA, the aggrieved Croatian national reported the matter to the Immigration officers who in turn referred him to the Airport Police Station.

Immigration officials escorted the two UN officials to the Airport Police Station but as they recorded their statements, their argument turned physical after Pajtic landed a heavy punch on Tankara’s face - severely injuring his nose.

It was then that police officers at the station intervened and placed them under arrest.

It is not clear the fate of the investigations but Head of the Diplomatic Police Unit Ambrose Mwawaka on Monday confirmed that the two were diplomats who enjoyed immunity from prosecution.