Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Businessman Jimi Wanjigi has until tomorrow to surrender 11 firearms and a total of 485 rounds of ammunition in his possession. 

The Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) yesterday directed Wanjigi to surrender the firearms since he did not have a valid licence for them.

The head of the Serious Crime Unit, Obadiah Kuria, also directed him to explain the source of a Glock pistol serial number URT735 with a total of 15 rounds of ammunition.

In a letter to the businessman dated February 21, the DCI said they came to know about the weapons on January 17, 2022, while at his Kwacha offices in Westlands investigating a land matter in which he is a person of interest. The firearms include two Ceska pistols, four Glock pistols, a shotgun, Gilboa rifle, CQ and a pistol serial number A128120.

“Illegal holding of firearms and such a massive amount of ammunition particularly at this time of heightened political activity could be used to commit a myriad of offences, including maiming and or killing innocent people or opponents,” Kuria said. “You are required to surrender the underlined firearms and ammunition to the DCI headquarters within 72 hours… as you do not hold any firearm certificate,” the summons added.

Kuria said the whereabouts of the firearms and ammunition were unknown and could be in the hands of criminal gangs, as demonstrated by the arming of an ex-GSU officer inside the premises of a company Wanjigi fully controls. The ex-officer later disclosed that Wanjigi had armed him as his bodyguard.

On December 5, 2018, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior, Fred Matiang’i, gave a moratorium for mandatory vetting of civilian firearm holders.