Kethi Kilonzo denies defying police summons over voter registration

Kethi Kilonzo. (Photo:File/Standard)

By Geoffrey Mosoku

Nairobi, Kenya: Lawyers representing Kethi Kilonzo have now refuted reports that she defied summons to appear before police on Wednesday.

According to Dan Maanzo, Kethi’s lead lawyer James Orengo had secured an appointment with the CID slated for next week on Tuesday, which will be duly honoured.

“We woke up to read in news that police were concluding investigations after our client reportedly failed to appear to record a statement; which is far from the truth,”  he said.

Maanzo who is also the Makueni MP said he had gone to the CID headquarters along Kiambu road to make a follow up but did not find boss Ndegwa Muhoro.

“Due to the anxiety created, I have appeared before CID to verify the reports but did not get Muhoro and instead was directed to Mohamed Amin who is leading the investigations.”

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According to the MP, Amin reaffirmed to him that the appointment is still on Tuesday at 9.am.

While maintaining the innocence of their client, Maanzo said that they will appear before the court as scheduled but castigated CID boss Muhoro for what he termed as resorting to the media to conduct a probe.

“I have agreed with the police that the appointment will be on Tuesday and we will accompany our client but it’s unfortunate that Muhoro is conducting a trial in the press.”

Thursday, The Standard reported that police investigations into the controversy surrounding lawyer Kethi Kilonzo’s registration as a voter are almost complete and detectives say they have a case.

On Wednesday, a senior investigating officer close to the investigations told The Standard, “...there is a case so far,” adding that the file will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko later next week.

“The probe is ongoing and we expected Kethi today (Wednesday) to record a statement. We will send the file to DPP with recommendations later next week. There is a case so far,” said the detective who declined to be named as he is not authorised to speak about the case.

Should the CID recommend prosecution, it would stir the controversy that stalked the lead up to the by-election that degenerated into a showdown between CORD and Jubilee.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission called in the police after officials claimed the registration slip that Kethi presented as proof of registration as a voter had been stolen from the commission.

IEBC chairman Issack Hassan wrote to CID director Ndegwa Muhoro inviting him to investigate the saga.