Nairobi — A Kenyan working at a British Army base has been arrested and detained in connection with the huge cache of weapons seized by police in Narok.

Mr John Wandeto, a civilian, was arrested as businessman Ishmael Munir and a senior Administration Police officer, Superintendent Joseph Maritim, were charged in court for illegally possessing government ammunition.

Mr Wandeto, who is employed at the military base in Nanyuki, was picked up by detectives on Wednesday evening and moved to Nairobi where he was questioned by senior police officers.Six other people are also being questioned in connection with the arms seizure, according to Internal Security assistant minister Orwa Ojodeh.

The Nation learnt that the seizure of the 100,000 bullets, six guns and military ware had attracted the attention of the M15, the British outfit that handles sensitive intelligence and security matters.

British military supplies, including uniforms, were among items police say they recovered after raiding a house in Narok, belonging to Mr Munir.

The officer in charge of CID operations Francis Njiru, his Criminal Intelligence counterpart Abubakar Maalim and head of the Special Crime Prevention Unit Richard Katola were among those who questioned Mr Wandeto.

The MI5 officers want to know how supplies, including sleeping bags, Nato-approved 7.62mm calibre ammunition, military desert boots, combat rain jackets, military fuel tanks, British Army inscribed Land Rover spare parts, military machetes and knives, landed in the hands of an unauthorised person.

At the same time, several theories have emerged about the origin and destination of the recovered cache.

An Administration Police officer who spoke to the Nation claimed that the force's shooting range in Ngong was used as a conduit for stolen ammunition.

The officer, who cannot be named for fear of reprisals from his commanders, said ammunition to be used for training at the range was issued in excess and the remainder was not returned to the armoury but smuggled to illegal dealers.

Security expert Simiyu Werunga said the fact that most of the ammunition was small calibre is a pointer that they were likely to have been meant for the local underworld market.

In Narok, it emerged that Mr Munir has indeed been getting government tenders to supply petrol. But Narok North District procurement officer Richard Gichuki quickly added that he was not the only beneficiary and that the bidding was competitive and lawful.

In court, Mr Maritim, Mr Munir and his wife Nahid Tabasum Sumar, will Friday know whether they will be released on bail. They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In Parliament, Mr Ojodeh said that six people from an Administration Police camp were being questioned over the arms cache.

Mr Ojodeh issued a ministerial statement as members said suspicion was high that the AP armoury had been raided.

Dr Boni Khalwale asked the minister to table the register showing the movement of armours in and out of the AP munitions store.

"We want to know who issued and received the arms within the department of the AP and we want to know for what purpose this was done," he said.

Dr Khalwale argued that the armoury had two keys in possession of two different commandants and wondered why only of them had been arrested and charged.

He also sought to know what was being done to the commander who gives authority for movement of armours from the armoury.

Mr Ojodeh told the House experts will find out whether the arms were from Kenya or not, in the ongoing investigations.

"I will be updating Kenyans on findings because this is a serious and sensitive matter," he promised.

The prosecution wants the accused to be remanded at Kilimani police station for at least five more days to give them time to complete investigations. But their lawyers Cliff Ombeta and Kirathe Wandungi argued that the offence is a bailable and that holding the accused would lead to a breach of their fundamental rights.

According to the charge sheet the three were found in possession of 55, 200, 1, 300 and 1, 200 live ammunition meant for 9mm 38mm and 7.62 mm guns respectively.

They are also said to have been found with, 640 and 10, 000 live ammunition for 308mm and 22mm guns respectively.

In total the charges indicate that the 3 were in possession of over 68, 000 live ammunition.