Detectives visit venue of Sunday incident as probe engages top gear

Seth Mwaniki and Wangari Njuguna

Senior detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) yesterday visited the scene of the deadly clash that left two people dead in Kenol, Muranga County

The two-fold investigations seek to establish what actually transpired and the people behind it and also the conduct of the officers who were at the scene on Sunday.

“While the DCI will concentrate on the criminal aspect of the incident, the IAU detectives will seek to establish if the officers conducted themselves appropriately and whether there was negligence on their part,” a senior officer told People Daily.

The IAU team, headed by the unit’s director Mohammed Amin, yesterday visited Muranga and Nyeri where they questioned some people and recorded statements.

“They will also establish if there was prior intelligence and whether the officers acted on it.

Action will be taken against top commanders should it be found that there was negligence on the part of the commanders,” the senior officer added.

On Sunday, the IG directed the authority to immediately investigate the matter. MPs Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu) and Alice Wahome (Kandara) have also been summoned regarding the matter.

Though the IG had directed that the two be tracked down and arrested for mobilising goons who caused mayhem at Kenol, a source at the police headquarters yesterday said arrests will only be made after the probe is complete.

“There are special circumstances where we arrest before investigations are concluded.

We will however conclude investigations and make the arrests. We expect to arrest several people,” the officer said.

Yesterday, both Ndindi and Wahome failed to show up at Central Region DCI offices for questioning.

National Police Service (NPS) had indicated through the official Twitter handle that the two, among others, were to appear at the Nyeri offices to assist police with investigations.

“They will be notified appropriately when to appear. Several other people are also to be summoned,” a source said.

But speaking last evening, Wahome and Ndindi said they would not honour any police summons.

The two said they had not received any formal communication requiring them to record any statement over what transpired in Kenol.

They refuted claims that they are the ones who had planned for the chaos and the turn of events caught them by surprise.

Police intimidation 

On her part, Wahome said the order by the Inspector General of Police to have them summoned were just way of intimidating them vowing not to bow down.

“I have seen a circular doing rounds on social media that we have been summoned but we are not going to report to any office,” she said.

“We have not committed any offence and I don’t see any reason why we should be told to go write a statement,” she added.

Wahome said she wanted thorough probe into the matter done and the perpetrators of violence brought to book, terming it the highest level of impunity as the government was trying to cover up its mess and it wants to use them to sanitize its dirty act.

Ndindi on his part said the chaos were state-instigated violence, which was sponsored by powerful state officers. He said he has the details on where the meeting to disrupt was being held and who were being involved.

“The blood of the two people who died is on the heads of those who planned the chaos and they should stop using us as sacrificial lambs for their action” Ndindi said.

He added that they did not fear being arrested but will not pen down any statement regarding this matter and they won’t change their political stand.

He said for a long time they have been unfairly targeted by the deep state due to their political stand.