DCI detective disclose framing Gachagua in Sh7.3 billion graft case
A senior police officer at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has revealed that detectives were coerced to charge Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over the Sh7.3 billion graft case.
Superintendent of Police Kuriah Obadiah, based at the DCI headquarters claimed in an explosive affidavit that officers were pressured to arrest and charge Gachagua with financial related crimes.
“On April 15,2020, the DCI received a letter from Financial Reporting Centre making allegations of criminal conducts against the accused persons imputing embezzlement of funds from the National Irrigation Board and other entities,” Obadiah stated in the four-page affidavit.
Additionally, it has come to light that no supporting documentation for the claimed offences was available at the time of Gachagua’s arrest and his arraignment on July 26, 2021.
Obadiah, who is also the head of the Serious Crimes Section, was the leader of the investigation team formed to trail Gachagua, who at the time had a fall out with immediate former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration and serving as Mathira Member of Parliament.
He said that he was given stringent and fixed timelines by the former DCI boss, George Kinoti, to come up with findings that would see Gachagua put on trial.
According to him, the report was sent to his division at the DCI with explicit instructions to quickly conduct investigations, including recording statements, conducting searches, and filing affidavits in court for orders to access the accused persons’ bank accounts, among other things.
“The investigations team headed by myself was given strict and fixed timelines to come up with findings promptly which made it difficult to conduct thorough and comprehensive investigations into the allegations,” he stated.
“While the investigations were still in progress, Kinoti directed us to make recommendations that will enable the accused persons to face charges,” he added.
The case is scheduled for hearing on November 21, 2022, for directions on the withdrawal.
