Immediate former crime buster, Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti’s exit from office and subsequent disbandment of one of his core operational units, Special Service Unit (SSU) appears to be a major indictment of his tenure in office by the President William Ruto’s administration.
The president is on record saying SSU was responsible for extrajudicial and summary executions.
At the same time, shortly after leaving office, the special unit was dissolved and all officers numbering close to 100 recalled to Mazingira House, DCI headquarters and immediately sent on compulsory 30 days leave.
What has followed is sustained crackdown and interrogation of 21 officers and at least four have since been arraigned before Kahawa Law Courts in Kiambu over the alleged abduction of two Asian nationals and their Kenyan taxi driver whose whereabouts remain uncertain.
“I have issued a directive for immediate disbanding of the DCI’s Special Service Unit (SSU) and investigations into the ongoing abductions be conducted with those found culpable held responsible… We can efficiently and effectively suppress crime, monitor, disrupt and apprehend criminals without abducting, torturing, killing or causing citizens to disappear.” The president is on record saying.
Peter Muthee Gachiku, Francis Muendo Ndonye, John Mwangi Kamau and Joseph Kamau Mbugua appeared before Kahawa Law Courts magistrate Diana Mochache to face the law on a number of alleged crimes including abduction of two Asian origins together with their Kenyan taxi driver and additionally conspiracy to commit crime.
Through their lawyers Danstan Omari and Kahiga Kiguru said only DCI, DPP or the National Police Service Commission could bring cases against the police to court.
Magistrate Mochache will on Wednesday rule on whether the Police Internal Affairs Unit could bring a case before her court.
The IAU had made an application seeking the court to allow the police to detain the four police officers suspected of having a hand in the disappearance of the two Indian men and their taxi driver.
IAU wanted the four to be held for 30 days pending investigations.
At least ten other officers from the disbanded SSU have reportedly agreed to be witnesses in the case that is slowly emerging to be a major probe into claims of extra-judicial killings.
Investigations into the murder accusation has put Kinoti and SSU Director Pius Gitari at centre-stage with allegations revealing that some of the SSU officers followed illegal directives.
Other top bosses from DCI are also likely to be targeted in the ongoing crackdown against officers attached to the unit whose members have been linked to extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that a senior officer attached to the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) tracked and monitored the movement of the two foreigners at the heart of the ongoing investigations.
Acting Inspector-General of police Noor Gabow has also warned that the police service will not tolerate lawlessness, and that lives must be protected and only taken away under extreme circumstances and in accordance with the law.
“Whereas a majority of our officers are law-abiding and offer exemplary service, a few officers operate outside the constitutional and legal framework, hence tarnishing our good image,” observed Gabow.