Senate now summons DCI and DPP amid perceived rivalry

The Senate Justice and Legal Affairs Committee has summoned DPP Noordin Haji, DCI George Kinoti and Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai following a standoff between the DCI and DPP in court on Tuesday that now threatens the war on graft.

In summoning the institutions at the centre of the criminal justice system, the Senate committee warned that the sibling rivalry perceived or real is worrying and could undermine the fight against corruption.

Kinoti, Haji and the Inspector General of Police are required to appear before the committee on March 25 for an audit of the perceived or real breakdown between the two the DCI and DPP.

“These fights or perceived sibling rivalry will hamper prosecution especially on high-octane cases both corruption and other related cases,” noted the committee chair Samson Cherargei.

Insiders claim while the DCI is accusing the DPP of deploying weak prosecutors to argue their cases, the DPP holds the DCI is producing shoddy investigative reports that cannot stand trial.

“We hope this is a false start and not bigger or worse things that will happen to the fight against corruption and other related cases,” added Cherargei.

On Tuesday the DCI ambushed DPP officers by producing Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director Daniel Manduku in court. The embattled MD was freed without bail after the DPP’s office recalled the file for review.

DCI Kinoti apparently bypassed the DPP who is required to approve the charges before any arrests and subsequent prosecution is done.

With the two now shadow boxing each other in power games as each office flexes its muscles putting the fight against graft at risk, none of the officers is yet to secure a conviction two years in office.