Sunday, January 8, 2012

Baraza: CID boss calls for witness statements




Written By:Judith Akolo,    Posted: Sat, Jan 07, 2012
The Director said his department was committed to carrying out a thorough and objective investigation into the incident
Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Director Kamau Muhoro has said investigations into allegations that Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza, brandished a pistol in the face of a female security guard at the Village Market Rebecca Kerubo Morara  will be driven by concrete evidence.
The Director at the same time called on the public who may have witnessed the altercation to provide the information to investigating officers.
Saying that such information will be treated in confidence, the Director said his department was committed to carrying out a thorough and objective investigation into the incident that has left the DCJ's career hanging in the balance.
Muhoro at the same time asked the guard to report any threats she might have had in the face of the fiasco to the police and say exactly how the threats are coming in.
Muhoro, who was flanked by Central Provincial Police Officer John Mbijiwe and Provincial Criminal Investigations Officer Henry Ondiek speaking to reporters in Nyeri on Friday, said they will be releasing the results of the investigation within a week and that appropriate legal action will follow depending on the outcome.
At the same time Muhoro trashed the proposal to have a civilian head the country's police force, saying the post of Inspector-General of police to be created following the enactment of the new Constitution should be occupied by a professional security officer.
"The police force is not Wells Fargo or G4S (both private security companies) to be headed by a managing director. Such a move was made in South Africa and it failed.", the CID director added.
Muhoro, urged the Police Force's men and women to embrace the reforms being carried out in the force in order to make the security organ was more responsive to the needs of Kenyans.
He denied that the police was suffering low morale due to apprehension caused by the impending vetting of senior officers, saying that the officers understood that any reforms being carried out were meant to improve their work environment.
He said an audit of materiel required by the police to carry out their work effectively had revealed serious shortages but said the government was looking for the resources to make up for the shortfall.
He added that the government had already begun by purchasing vehicles for the officers and improving housing countrywide in the effort to make officers' working conditions better.
The Director said that the high morale in the force was attested to by the low crime levels experienced during the festive season saying that all security organs worked together to ensure Kenyans had safe holidays.
"I am happy with the way all our forces are sharing intelligence making the work easier for everyone", the Director added.
And former MP Kalembe Ndile is asking security companies to employ retired police officer to conduct searches on individuals.
Kalembe argues that a retired officer is the only person who can conduct the searches with decorum.
He is at the same time asking parliament to enact a law that allows security guards to conduct searches, Kalembe says as things stand now, it is illegal for security guards to conduct any search on the public and are liable for prosecution since they are indulging in an illegality.
The CID director spoke a day after Kerubo's husband Ogweche Morara demanded a public apology from the Deputy CJ over the winding saga.

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