Kisii police officer Samwel Gitari risks sacking over bank statement

A police officer risks losing his job for failing to present his wife's bank statement to the vetting panel.

Corporal Samwel Gitari, who is based at Kisii Police Station, told the panel that his wife had refused to surrender her bank statements.

"She told me that she was not a police officer and as a result she could not hand me the document," said Mr Gitari.

He said his wife, who is a teacher, did not wish to be dragged into the process.

"I could not force my wife to give me her bank statement," he said.

The panel warned him that the absence of the document could cost him his job.

Panellist Yusuf Mohammed reminded him that during a sensitisation campaign, they were informed of all requirements for vetting.

"It is not a matter of your wife agreeing to issue you with the statement, it is a requirement that you must abide by," said Mr Mohammed.

The panel said officers who failed to submit their documents within the stipulated period risked being considered to have opted out of the process.

The officer who has been in service for 18 years was given two weeks to acquire the bank statement and submit it to the panel.

The panel also found out that there had been several MPesa transactions in the account of the officer with some money sent to him through till numbers from agents. He however could not explain the reason people were sending money to him through MPesa till numbers.

"This is a scheme to conceal the identity of the person sending you money," commissioner Ronald Musengi said.