DCI officer in an explosive affidavit reveals how Kinoti pushed to ‘fix’ Gachagua
DCI officer in an explosive affidavit reveals how Kinoti pushed to ‘fix’ Gachagua in the Sh7.3bn graft case.
According to a senior police officer, detectives at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) were compelled to file charges against deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, who was at the time a Mathira MP, in the Sh7.3 billion corruption case.
It has also come to light that the investigations were ongoing and there was no documented proof to back up the claimed offenses at the time of Mr. Gachagua’s arrest and arraignment in court on July 26, 2021.
The superintendent of police Kuriah Obadiah, who is headquartered at the DCI headquarters, claimed in an explosive affidavit that officers were pressured to arrest and charge Mr. Gachagua with financial crimes.
A team of investigators was assembled to go after Gachagua after a falling-out with the administration of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, under the direction of DCI officer Mr. Obadiah, head of the Serious Crimes Section.
The officer claimed that Mr. George Kinoti, the former director of the DCI, put a lot of pressure on him to come up with conclusions that would land Mr. Gachagua in jail.
He also claimed that Mr. Kinoti gave him strict and predetermined deadlines to come up with findings.
“On April 15, 2020, the DCI received a letter from the Financial Reporting Centre making allegations of criminal conduct against the accused persons imputing embezzlement of funds from the National Irrigation Board and other entities,” Mr. Obadiah narrates in the four-page affidavit in support to the withdrawal of the case.
The report, he says, was transmitted to his section at DCI with clear instructions to promptly carry out investigations including recording of statements, searches, and filing of affidavits in court for orders to access the accused persons’ bank accounts, among other activities.
“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,” states Mr. Obadiah.
He goes on to state that “while the investigations were still in progress, Mr. Kinoti directed us to make recommendations that will enable the accused persons to face charges”.
After being arraigned in court, the detectives abandoned the investigations.
They raised six allegations related to fraud, money laundering, abuse of office, and conflict of interest. The trial never moved to hear witness testimony.
The case is set to come up on November 21, 2022, for directions on the withdrawal.
Also read,
ODM politician reveals the biggest blunder that made Raila lose to Ruto
Raila tells off critics calling on him to retire from politics
Follow us
