Count on me for justice and rule of law, pledges new DCI

The new Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Mohammed Amin who takes office this week finds his in-tray full.

Amin, who has assured Kenyans he will embrace professionalism and justice for all, is expected to among other things, establish the people behind the abduction of two Indian IT specialists and their Kenyan driver.

The foreigners had come to Kenya in April and on July 25, they were abducted by people believed to be police officers and have not been traced since then.

Amin, as the director of the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU), was leading a team of investigators and recommended the DCI’s Special Services Unit be disbanded to avoid interference with the probe.

“We will ensure everyone gets justice. From robbery, forgery, murder and all forms of crimes that will come to us will be handled professionally. I will be firm and fair in executing my duties while observing the rule of law,” he said.

Amin has also hailed his predecessor George Kinoti, saying he had moved the directorate to a new level. “Team work is key and I will ensure all agencies in the government work with us in achieving this goal. We are ready and able to deliver,” he said.

At the IAU, Amin has investigated cases involving rogue officers and currently over 25 have been arraigned in court with various offences.

Other functions

The unit receives and investigates complaints against police; undertakes disciplinary proceedings against any officer on direction of the Inspector General; investigates torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment subjected to any person by any police officer among other functions.

Amin, 58, holds a Masters degree in Criminology and Security Management from Egerton University.  He joined the service in 1989 and has been the IAU director since February 2020.

He has previously served as the director of Investigations Bureau, head of Banking Fraud, director of Operations and the Rift Valley, North Eastern and Central regions DCI boss. He has also served at the defunct Anti- Corruption Police Unit in 2002 and as a DCIO at Langata, Kilindini, Thika and Mandera divisions.

During the 2007/08 post-election violence, Amin was the Rift Valley DCI boss where he served between 2007 and 2009.

He was at the centre of investigations that followed and ended up at the International Criminal Court (ICC) where he went and testified as a witness for the former Commissioner of Police Hussein Ali.

He also investigated the case involving former Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza and Rebecca Kerubo and later testified before the Judicial Service Commission Sub-committee and Tribunal chaired by Retired former Chief Justice Augustino Ramadhani in 2012.

DCI boss also investigated and prosecuted the murder case of the late Bishop Luigi Locati of Isiolo Diocese and prosecuted a Catholic Priest and five others.  The case is still before the Nairobi High Court.

He was a member of the National Task Force on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism since 2009 and a member of Multi-Agency Task Force on Post-Election Violence in Kenya since 2012.

President William Ruto has said the new DCI will operate differently from Kinoti, who he said used his experience from his days as the police spokesman to conduct the directorate’s operations in full glare of the media and public.

Cases of terror, organised and violent crimes, extra-judicial killings, cyber crimes among others still pose a major challenge to security agencies.

Organised group

Since April last year, at least 40 people who had cases pending before court or were under investigations have been killed in mysterious circumstances.

The manner of killings has been so distinctive, and bears all the hallmarks of the work of a very organised group.

Investigations further reveal that some of the victims are abducted in broad daylight. Of concern also is the inability, or unwillingness to unravel these mysterious killings and kidnapping. According to security expert Chris Otieno, Amin needs to immediately professionalise DCI and wash off the current bad image of serving political masters.

He said Kinoti did well but cases of mysterious killings and kidnappings tainted the directorate’s image.

“DCI has also been marred by accusations of political affiliations and favouritism, in most cases serving political masters and not the public,” he said.