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All the 120 officers who had been trained and transferred to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have been directed to report back to their mother stations with immediate effect.

The officers were selected from the Administration Police and Kenya Police Services and later interviewed for the absorption into the DCI’s Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) as police drivers.

However, the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome later blocked the transfer stating both the KPS and APS were facing acute shortage of police drivers.

“The Inspector General of Police gas cancelled the absorption of 120 officers from the Kenya Police Service and the Administration Police Service. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has been directed to release the officers to return to their mother stations and revert to general duties,” the directive to police commanders and the DCI reads.

It adds: “Ensure that the officers return to their previous stations and duties with immediate effect.”

Petitioner in court

The matter was supposed to be heard in court yesterday after a petitioner had earlier moved to court to compel IG Koome to release the 120 police officers to join the DCI as specialist officers.

Justice Byram Ongaya also directed the petitioner, Julius Ogogoh, to immediately serve the court papers on IG Koome and Attorney General Justin Muturi.

“I have considered the nature of the application by the purported chamber summons filed herein, considered formalities of an application like the instant one, and considered the material filed together with the application and certify the same as urgent to be served forthwith,” Justice Ongaya said.

The activist said that the DCI had advertised positions that would allow regular police and AP officers to join the DCI as specialised officers of the National Police Service.

As a result, a number of officers from the two police services applied and some were shortlisted for interview.

The shortlisted officers attended the interviews and 120 officers were successfully identified for absorption into the DCI, which essentially meant promotion in the service.

Absorption

The officers were informed of the outcome of the interviews and IG Koome approved their absorption and immediate release, in a letter dated April 29, 2024.

On May 7, IG Koome directed his commanders to release all the officers but just a day later, the Deputy Inspector General of Police sent a signal to all commanders where police drivers had been identified, instructing them to halt the redeployment of the said officers until further notice.

The activist wants IG Koome to act on the earlier release order.

“It is thus in the interest of justice as demonstrated hereinabove that we, the ex parte Applicants be granted leave to institute judicial review proceedings in the circumstance for certiorari and mandamus as pleaded in the pleadings herein,” Ogogoh said in the petition.